KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 nears the launch pad with a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) on top. After recent modifications to the cab and muffler system, the CT was taken on a test run. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 nears the launch pad with a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) on top. After recent modifications to the cab and muffler system, the CT was taken on a test run. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab, at left, that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab, at left, that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab (left, above the tracks) that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab (left, above the tracks) that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery rollout to Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Perched on the Mobile Launch Platform, in the early morning hours Space Shuttle Discovery approaches Launch Complex Pad 39B after a 6-hour, 4.2-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the launch pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the launch, scheduled to lift off Oct. 29. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

KSC-2009-2724

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Just before dawn, space shuttle Endeavour is bathed in xenon lights after being secured on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion on rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:57 p.m. EDT April 16. Surrounding the pad are the new lightning towers erected for NASA's Constellation Program, which will use the pad for Ares rocket launches. Endeavour will be prepared on the pad for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary following space shuttle Atlantis' launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. After Atlantis is cleared to land, Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch June 13. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the cab of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2, driver Sam Dove, with United Space Alliance, operates the vehicle on a test run to the launch pad. The CT recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the cab of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2, driver Sam Dove, with United Space Alliance, operates the vehicle on a test run to the launch pad. The CT recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

This wide lux image of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it began its race to catch up with Russia's Mir Space Station shows the base of the launch pad as well as the orbiter just clearing the gantry. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) occurred at 12:22:04 (EST) February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four space shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches.

KSC-2014-2101

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., announces that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with SpaceX for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agency’s plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. To learn more about Launch Pad 39A visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper

KSC-2014-2100

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden announces that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agency’s plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. To learn more about Launch Pad 39A visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper

KSC-2014-2099

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden announces that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agency’s plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. To learn more about Launch Pad 39A visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper

KSC-2009-2725

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Just before dawn, space shuttle Endeavour is bathed in xenon lights after being secured on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion on rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:57 p.m. EDT April 16. On either side of the pad are two of the new lightning towers erected for NASA's Constellation Program, which will use the pad for Ares rocket launches. Endeavour will be prepared on the pad for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary following space shuttle Atlantis' launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. After Atlantis is cleared to land, Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch June 13. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-07pd1813

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-07-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A, the payload canister is lifted up to the payload changeout room. Inside the canister are the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3, the payload for mission STS-118. The red umbilical lines are still attached. The payloads will be transferred inside the changeout room to wait for Space Shuttle Endeavour to arrive at the pad. The changeout room is the enclosed, environmentally controlled portion of the rotating service structure that supports cargo delivery to the pad and subsequent vertical installation into the orbiter payload bay. The mission will be Endeavour's first flight in more than four years. The shuttle has undergone extensive modifications, including the addition of safety upgrades already added to shuttles Discovery and Atlantis. Endeavour also features new hardware, such as the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System that will allow the docked shuttle to draw electrical power from the station and extend its visits to the orbiting lab. Space Shuttle Endeavour is targeted for launch on Aug. 7 from Launch Pad 39A. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Pad Avian Abatement Efforts Including Related KSC Road Kill Reduction Effort

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlierf, Roland; Hight, Ron; Payne, Stephen J.; Shaffer, John P.; Missimer, Brad; Willis, Christopher

2007-01-01

While birds might seem harmless, there's a good reason for the concern. During the July 2005 launch of Discovery on mission STS-1 14, a vulture soaring around the launch pad impacted the shuttle's external tank just after liftoff. With a vulture's average weight ranging from 3 to 5 pounds. a strike at a critical point on the Shuttle -- like the nose or wing leading thermal protection panels -- could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. The foam chunk that fatefully struck Columbia's wing in 2003 weighed only 1.7 pounds. (Cheryl L. Mansfield "Bye Bye Birdies" 2006) To address this issue, NASA formed an "Avian Abatement Team". The team goal is to have safer Shuttle missions by reducing the vulture population at KSC near the pad area thereby reducing the probability of another vulture strike during a Shuttle launch.

Ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle Mission STS-32 (61-C)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Speece, Robert F.

1986-01-01

An Ice/Frost/Debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-32 (61-C). This assessment begins with debris inspections of the flight elements and launch facilities before and after launch. Ice/Frost formations are calculated during cryogenic loading of the external tank followed by an on-pad assessment of the Shuttle vehicle and pad at T-3 hours in the countdown. High speed films are reviewed after launch to identify Ice/Frost/Debris sources and investigate potential vehicle damage. The Ice/Frost/Debris conditions and their effects on the Space Shuttle are documented.

STS-79 CREW COMMANDER WILLIAM F. READDY PREPARES TO ENTER ATLANTIS AT PAD 39A FOR TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

At Launch Pad 39A, the astronauts assigned to Space Shuttle Mission STS-79 are wrapping up Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities with participation in a simulated countdown. Shown here in the white room of the Orbiter Access Arm is Commander William F. Readdy. Besides the realistic launch day preparation, the TCDT also includes emergency egress training at the pad. The Space Shuttle Atlantis is undergoing preparations for liftoff on the fourth Shuttle-Mir docking flight no earlier than Sept. 12.

ATLANTIS ROLLS OUT TO PAD 39A FOLLOWING HURRICANE FRAN THREAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The Space Shuttle Atlantis completes the trip to Launch Pad 39A from the Vehicle Assembly Building for the third time in the STS- 79 mission flow. The Shuttle was rolled back from the pad in July due to the threat from Hurricane Bertha, then rolled back again earlier this week because of Hurricane Fran. The targeted launch date for Atlantis on Mission STS-79 -- the fourth docking between the U.S. Shuttle and Russian Space Station Mir -- is now Sept. 16 at 4:54 a.m. EDT. The three rollout dates for Atlantis to Pad 39A are: July 1, Aug. 20 and Sept. 5.

KSC-08pd2667

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - During space shuttle Endeavour’s rollout to the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a worker checks equipment on the tracks of the massive crawler-transporter. The crawler travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt “shoes.” Each shoe is 7.5 feet long, 1.5 feet wide and weighs approximately 2,100 pounds. First motion of Endeavour from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:15 p.m. Sept. 18. Endeavour completed the 4.2-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B on Sept. 19 at 6:59 a.m. EDT. For the first time since July 2001, two shuttles are on the launch pads at the same time at the center. Endeavour will stand by at pad B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' upcoming mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, targeted to launch Oct. 10. After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue spacecraft, it will be moved to Launch Pad 39A for the STS-126 mission to the International Space Station. That flight is targeted for launch Nov. 12. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-31

NASA Administrator, Michael Griffin watches the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-124) from the Launch Control Center Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Shuttle lifted off from launch pad 39A at 5:02 p.m. EDT. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

KSC-2011-2561

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Battalion Chief David Seymour provides supervision while space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 crew members participate in M113 armored personnel carrier training near Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2562

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Battalion Chief David Seymour provides supervision while space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 crew members participate in M113 armored personnel carrier training near Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-31

NASA Shuttle Launch Director Michael Leinbach, left, STS-124 Assistant Launch Director Ed Mango, center, and Flow Director for Space Shuttle Discovery Stephanie Stilson clap in the the Launch Control Center after the main engine cut off and successful launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-124) Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Shuttle lifted off from launch pad 39A at 5:02 p.m. EDT. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

A 70mm camera was used to expose this image of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it began its race to catch up with Russia's Mir Space Station. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) occurred at 12:22:04 (EST) February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four space shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches. The launch pad and orbiter can be seen reflected in the water directly in front of it.

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

A 35mm camera was used to expose this image of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it began its race to catch up with Russia's Mir Space Station. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) occurred at 12:22:04 (EST) February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four space shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches. The launch pad and orbiter can be seen reflected in the water directly in front of it.

Shuttle near-field environmental impacts - Conclusions and observations for launching at other locations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koller, A. M., Jr.; Knott, W. M.

1985-01-01

Near field and far field environmental monitoring activities extending from the first launch of the Space Shuttle at the Kennedy Space Center have provided a database from which conclusions can now be drawn for short term, acute effects of launch and, to a lesser degree, long term cumulative effects on the natural environment. Data for the first 15 launches of the Space Shuttle from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A are analyzed for statistical significance and reduced to graphical presentations of individual and collective disposition isopleths, summarization of observed environmental impacts (e.g., vegetation damage, fish kills), and supporting data from specialized experiments and laboratory analyses. Conclusions are drawn with regard to the near field environment at Pad A, the effects on the lagoonal complex, and the relationships of these data and conclusions to upcoming operations at Complex 39 Pad B where the environment is significantly different. The paper concludes with a subjective evaluation of the likely impacts at Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 6 for the first Shuttle launch next year.

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis / STS-125 Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

STS125-S-050 (11 May 2009) --- The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is viewed from behind launch pad 39B. On pad 39B is Space Shuttle Endeavour, which can launch, if needed, for rescue of Atlantis? crew during its STS-125 mission to service NASA?s Hubble Space Telescope. Liftoff of Atlantis was on time at 2:01 p.m. (EDT) on May 11, 2009. Onboard are astronauts Scott Altman, commander; Gregory C. Johnson, pilot; Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel, all mission specialists. Atlantis' 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments that will expand Hubble's capabilities and extend its operational lifespan through at least 2014. The payload includes a Wide Field Camera 3, Fine Guidance Sensor and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph.

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis / STS-125 Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

STS125-S-057 (11 May 2009) --- The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is viewed from behind launch pad 39B. On pad 39B is Space Shuttle Endeavour, which can launch, if needed, for rescue of Atlantis? crew during its STS-125 mission to service NASA?s Hubble Space Telescope. Liftoff of Atlantis was on time at 2:01 p.m. (EDT) on May 11, 2009. Onboard are astronauts Scott Altman, commander; Gregory C. Johnson, pilot; Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel, all mission specialists. Atlantis' 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments that will expand Hubble's capabilities and extend its operational lifespan through at least 2014. The payload includes a Wide Field Camera 3, Fine Guidance Sensor and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph.

Space Shuttle Pad Exposure Period Meteorological Parameters STS-1 Through STS-107

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Overbey, B. G.; Roberts, B. C.

2005-01-01

During the 113 missions of the Space Transportation System (STS) to date, the Space Shuttle fleet has been exposed to the elements on the launch pad for approx. 4,195 days. The Natural Environments Branch at Marshall Space Flight Center archives atmospheric environments to which the Space Shuttle vehicles are exposed. This Technical Memorandum (TM) provides a summary of the historical record of the meteorological conditions encountered by the Space Shuttle fleet during the pad exposure period. Parameters included in this TM are temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, sea level pressure, and precipitation. Extremes for each of these parameters for each mission are also summarized. Sources for the data include meteorological towers and hourly surface observations. Data are provided from the first launch of the STS in 1981 through the launch of STS-107 in 2003.

STS-96 Space Shuttle Discovery rolls back to Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Space Shuttle Discovery makes the climb to Launch Pad 39B aboard the mobile launcher platform and crawler transporter. The crawler is able to keep its cargo level during the move up the five percent grade, not varying from the vertical more than the diameter of a soccer ball. At right are the rotating and fixed service structures which will be used during prelaunch preparations at the pad. Earlier in the week, the Shuttle was rolled back to the VAB from the pad to repair hail damage on the external tank's foam insulation. Mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program, is scheduled for liftoff May 27 at 6:48 a.m. EDT. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment.

KSC-2014-2103

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., speaks to members of the news media announcing that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with SpaceX for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agency’s plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. To learn more about Launch Pad 39A visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper

KSC-2014-2098

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, center director Bob Cabana announces that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A. NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, left, and Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, look on. SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agency’s plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. To learn more about Launch Pad 39A visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper

KSC-2014-2102

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., announces that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with SpaceX for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A. NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, left, and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana listen. SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agency’s plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. To learn more about Launch Pad 39A visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper

Proposed space shuttle cargo handling criteria at the operational site (preliminary)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beck, P. E.

1972-01-01

The criteria for cargo handling at the operational site of space shuttles are presented, based on assumed program requirements. The concepts for the following functions are described: maintenance and checkout facility, transfer to launch pad, and launch pad. The requirements for the ground equipment are given along with the general sequences for cargo loading.

KSC-08pd2516

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A new NASA helicopter circles space shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A prior to launch on the STS-124 mission. To the left of the shuttle is the fixed service structure with the 80-foot lightning mast on top. The rotating service structure, normally closed around the shuttle, is open for liftoff. At right of the pad is the 300,000-gallon water tower that provides the water used for sound suppression on the pad during liftoff. In the background is the Atlantic Ocean. Discovery is making its 35th flight. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the space station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory.

A Summary of Meteorological Parameters During Space Shuttle Pad Exposure Periods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Overbey, Glenn; Roberts, Barry C.

2005-01-01

During the 113 missions of the Space Transportation System (STS), the Space Shuffle fleet has been exposed to the elements on the launch pad for a total of 4195 days. The Natural Environments Branch at Marshall Space Flight Center archives atmospheric environments to which the Space Shuttle vehicles are exposed. This paper provides a summary of the historical record of the meteorological conditions encountered by the Space Shuttle fleet during the pad exposure period. Sources of the surface parameters, including temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, sea level pressure and precipitation are presented. Data is provided from the first launch of the STS in 1981 through the launch of STS-107 in 2003.

KSC-07pd1196

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-05-15

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Under a feather-painted sky, Space Shuttle Atlantis, mounted on a mobile launch platform atop a crawler transporter, creeps up the ramp to Launch Pad 39A. This is the second rollout for the shuttle. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 5:02 a.m. EDT. In late February, while Atlantis was on the launch pad, Atlantis' external tank received hail damage during a severe thunderstorm that passed through the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 area. The hail caused visible divots in the giant tank's foam insulation, as well as minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the shuttle's left wing. The shuttle was returned to the VAB for repairs. The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-117 is now targeted for June 8. A flight readiness review will be held on May 30 and 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-07pd1193

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-05-15

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Under a feather-painted sky, Space Shuttle Atlantis, mounted on a mobile launch platform atop a crawler transporter, nears Launch Pad 39A. This is the second rollout for the shuttle. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 5:02 a.m. EDT. In late February, while Atlantis was on the launch pad, Atlantis' external tank received hail damage during a severe thunderstorm that passed through the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 area. The hail caused visible divots in the giant tank's foam insulation, as well as minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the shuttle's left wing. The shuttle was returned to the VAB for repairs. The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-117 is now targeted for June 8. A flight readiness review will be held on May 30 and 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

STS-32 Columbia, OV-102, is positioned on the hard stand at KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-11-28

S89-51983 (18 Nov 1989) --- Roll-out of the Space Shuttle Columbia is completed as the vehicle, atop the Mobile Launcher Platform, is positioned on the hard stand at Pad 39A. The approximately eight-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 2:32 a.m. EST. This marks the first time a Space Shuttle has been at Pad A at Launch Complex 39 since January 12, 1986, when Columbia was launched on mission 61C. Pad A will next be used for the launch of Columbia and a five person crew on the STS-32 mission, presently scheduled for no earlier than December 18, 1989.

Rare view of two space shuttles on adjacent KSC Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Rare view shows two space shuttles on adjacent Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads with the Rotating Service Structures (RSS) retracted. STS-35 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, is on Pad A (foreground) is being readied for a September 6 early morning launch, while its sister spaceship, Discovery, OV-103, is set to begin preparations for an October liftoff on Mission STS-41. View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-90PC-1269. Also see S90-48650 for similar view with alternate KSC number KSC-90PC-1268.

Rare view of two space shuttles on adjacent KSC Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Rare view shows two space shuttles on adjacent Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads with the Rotating Service Structures (RSS) retracted. STS-35 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, is on Pad A (foreground) and being readied for a September 6 early morning launch, while its sister spaceship, Discovery, OV-103, is prepared for an October liftoff on Mission STS-41. View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-90PC-1268. Also see S90-48904 for a similar view with alternate KSC number KSC-90PC-1269.

KSC-08pd1093

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a worker maneuvers a panel to build another cabinet to hold equipment that will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1096

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers line up the new equipment cabinets. The firing room will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1090

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, cabinets are being erected to hold equipment that will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1094

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers put together another cabinet to hold equipment that will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1091

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers put together another cabinet to hold equipment that will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1505

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in lights surrounding Launch Pad 39A and its structures at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery is poised for launch on the STS-124 mission after rollback of the rotating service structure. First motion was at 8:33 p.m. and rollback was complete at 9:07 p.m. The structure provides protected access to the shuttle for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots on a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogenic propellant loading operations. The pad is cleared to the perimeter gate for operations to fill the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants used by the shuttle’s main engines. This is done at the pad approximately eight hours before the scheduled launch. Behind the shuttle is the orange external tank and the two solid rocket boosters (only one seen here). Beneath the shuttle's starboard wing is one of two tail service masts, which provide several umbilical connections to the orbiter, including a liquid-oxygen line through one and a liquid-hydrogen line through another. The STS-124 mission is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-07pd1200

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-05-15

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis, mounted on a mobile launch platform, finally rests on the hard stand of Launch Pad 39A after an early morning rollout. This is the second rollout for the shuttle. Seen on either side of the main engine exhaust hole on the launcher platform are the tail service masts. Their function is to provide umbilical connections for liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen lines to fuel the external tank from storage tanks adjacent to the launch pad. Other umbilical lines carry helium and nitrogen, as well as ground electrical power and connections for vehicle data and communications. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 5:02 a.m. EDT. In late February, while Atlantis was on the launch pad, Atlantis' external tank received hail damage during a severe thunderstorm that passed through the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 area. The hail caused visible divots in the giant tank's foam insulation, as well as minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the shuttle's left wing. The shuttle was returned to the VAB for repairs. The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-117 is now targeted for June 8. A flight readiness review will be held on May 30 and 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle mission STS-29R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

An ice/frost/debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-29R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The ice/frost/debris conditions of Mission STS-29R and their effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle mission STS-26R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1988-01-01

An Ice/Frost/Debris Assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-26R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions are assessed by use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is viewed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The Ice/Frost/Debris conditions of Mission 26R and their effect on the Space Shuttle Program is documented.

Ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle mission STS-27R, December 2, 1988

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

An Ice/Frost/Debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-27R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is viewed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The Ice/Frost/Debris conditions of Mission STS-27R and their effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

KSC-06pd1938

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-08-26

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The dark clouds of a heavy rainstorm moving into Kennedy Space Center in the late afternoon on Sat., August 26, 2006, seem to illuminate the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it sits on Launch Pad 39B. A lightning strike to the pad's lightning protection system on August 25, caused the mission management team to postpone the launch of mission STS-115 for 24 hours in order to review all electrical systems on the space shuttle and ground support equipment at the pad. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley.

KSC-06pd1937

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-08-26

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The dark clouds of a heavy rainstorm moving into Kennedy Space Center in the late afternoon on Sat., August 26, 2006, seem to illuminate the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it sits on Launch Pad 39B. A lightning strike to the pad's lightning protection system on August 25, caused the mission management team to postpone the launch of mission STS-115 for 24 hours in order to review all electrical systems on the space shuttle and ground support equipment at the pad. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-81

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-81. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-81 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-83

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Jill D.; Katnik, Gregory N.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-83. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-83 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-71

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-71. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-71 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-102

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Jorge E.; Kelly, J. David (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-102. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch were analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or inflight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice /thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-102 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-94

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-94. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-94 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-79

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-79. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-79 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-73

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-73. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-73 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-05PD-0620

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. In the waning twilight, the service structures on Launch Pad 39B (left) and the Mobile Launcher Platform carrying Space Shuttle Discovery glow with lights. The Shuttle began rollout to the pad at 2:04 p.m. EDT from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, marking a major milestone in the Space Shuttle Programs Return to Flight. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS-114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-person crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-50

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley; Katnik, Gregory N.

1992-01-01

Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-50. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-50, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-49

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-49. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. Debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-49, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program are discussed.

Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-77

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, GregoryN.; Lin, Jill D. (Compiler)

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-77. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-77 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-70

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-70. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-70 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-51

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-51. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-51 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-55

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-55. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-55, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-08pd1502

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the rotating service structure, or RSS, has rolled back on its axis to uncover space shuttle Discovery, lighted against the night sky, in preparation for launch on the STS-124 mission. Support for the outer end of the bridge is provided by two eight-wheel, motor-driven trucks (one is seen at bottom left) that move along circular twin rails installed flush with the pad surface. First motion was at 8:33 p.m. and rollback was complete at 9:07 p.m. The structure provides protected access to the shuttle for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots on a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogenic propellant loading operations. The pad is cleared to the perimeter gate for operations to fill the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants used by the shuttle’s main engines. This is done at the pad approximately eight hours before the scheduled launch. Above the orange external tank is the oxygen vent hood, called the "beanie cap," at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm extending from the fixed service structure. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Below is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end, flush against the shuttle. The White Room provides access into the shuttle. The STS-124 mission is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-69

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-69. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system condition and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-69 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-52

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-47. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-52, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-106

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Kelley, J. David (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-106. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-106 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-76

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-76. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-76 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-2009-3138

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Launch Pad 39A lame trench at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers document damage found after launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-125 mission May 11. About 25 square feet of Fondue Fyre broke off from the north side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector. The flame trench channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle. Fondue Fyre is a fire-resistant concrete-like material. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area also were damaged. Preliminary assessments indicated technicians can make repairs to the pad in time to support space shuttle Endeavour's targeted June 13 launch. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

jsc2011e050262

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-01

JSC2011-E-050262 (1 June 2011) --- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA

jsc2011e050254

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-01

JSC2011-E-050254 (1 June 2011) --- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA

jsc2011e050249

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-01

JSC2011-E-050249 (1 June 2011) --- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA

jsc2011e050245

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-01

JSC2011-E-050245 (1 June 2011) --- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA

jsc2011e050253

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-01

JSC2011-E-050253 (1 June 2011) --- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-53

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-53. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-53, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-54

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-54. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-54, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-61

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-61. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-61, and the resulting effect on the space shuttle program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-72

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-72. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-72 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle mission STS-58

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, J. Bradley; Rivera, Jorge E.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Speece, Robert F.; Rosado, Pedro J.

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-58. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The ice/debris/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-58, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle mission STS-47

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-47. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-47, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-2014-2104

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, from the left, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana pose in from the of the historic launch complex after announcing that NASA has just signed a lease agreement with SpaceX for use and operation of Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX will use Launch Complex 39A for rockets such as the Falcon Heavy, currently under development. Both launch pad 39A and 39B were originally built for the Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and later modified to support the 30-year shuttle program. Pad 39B is now being modified by NASA to support the Space Launch System SLS rocket boosting the Orion spacecraft part of the agency’s plan to explore beyond low-Earth orbit. To learn more about Launch Pad 39A visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch-complex39-toc.html Photo credit: NASA/Dan Casper

Astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy in white room on launch pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

In the white room at Launch Pad 39B, STS-66 mission specialist Jean-Francois Clervoy is assisted with his partial pressure launch/entry suit by close-out crew members Travis Thompson and Danny Wyatt (background) before entering the Space Shuttle Atlantis for its November 3 launch.

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis / STS-129 Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-16

STS129-S-055 (16 Nov. 2009) --- The space shuttle launch team monitors the progress of Space Shuttle Atlantis' countdown from consoles on the main floor of Firing Room 4 in Kennedy's Launch Control Center. Liftoff of Atlantis from Launch Pad 39A on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station came at 2:28 p.m. (EST) Nov. 16, 2009.

STS-79 Commander Readdy and Pilot Wilcutt at slidewire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Clad in their launch/entry suits, STS-79 Commander William F. Readdy (left) and Pilot Terrence W. Wilcutt test the fit of a slidewire basket on the emergency egress system at Launch Pad 39A. The six astronauts assigned to the fourth Shuttle-Mir docking flight are completing Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. A dress rehearsal for launch, the TCDT includes emergency egress training at the launch pad and culminates with a simulated countdown. The Space Shuttle Atlantis is undergoing preparations for liftoff on STS-79 no earlier than Sept. 12.

Vibro-Acoustic Analysis of NASA's Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A Flame Trench Wall

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margasahayam, Ravi N.

2009-01-01

A vital element to NASA's manned space flight launch operations is the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39's launch pads A and B. Originally designed and constructed In the 1960s for the Saturn V rockets used for the Apollo missions, these pads were modified above grade to support Space Shuttle missions. But below grade, each of the pad's original walls (including a 42 feet deep, 58 feet wide, and 450 feet long tunnel designed to deflect flames and exhaust gases, the flame trench) remained unchanged. On May 31, 2008 during the launch of STS-124, over 3500 of the. 22000 interlocking refractory bricks that lined east wall of the flame trench, protecting the pad structure were liberated from pad 39A. The STS-124 launch anomaly spawned an agency-wide initiative to determine the failure root cause, to assess the impact of debris on vehicle and ground support equipment safety, and to prescribe corrective action. The investigation encompassed radar imaging, infrared video review, debris transport mechanism analysis using computational fluid dynamics, destructive testing, and non-destructive evaluation, including vibroacoustic analysis, in order to validate the corrective action. The primary focus of this paper is on the analytic approach, including static, modal, and vibro-acoustic analysis, required to certify the corrective action, and ensure Integrity and operational reliability for future launches. Due to the absence of instrumentation (including pressure transducers, acoustic pressure sensors, and accelerometers) in the flame trench, defining an accurate acoustic signature of the launch environment during shuttle main engine/solid rocket booster Ignition and vehicle ascent posed a significant challenge. Details of the analysis, including the derivation of launch environments, the finite element approach taken, and analysistest/ launch data correlation are discussed. Data obtained from the recent launch of STS-126 from Pad 39A was instrumental in validating the design analysis philosophies outlined in this paper.

Pad Safety Personnel Launch Support For STS-200

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guarino, Jennifer

2007-01-01

The launch of a space shuttle is a complex and lengthy procedure. There are many places and components to look at and prepare. The components are the orbiter, solid rocket boosters, external tank, and ground equipment. Some of the places are the launch pad, fuel locations, and surrounding structures. Preparations for a launch include equipment checks, system checks, sniff checks for hazardous commodities, and countless walkdowns. Throughout these preparations, pad safety personnel must always be on call. This requires three shifts of multiple people to be ready when needed. Also, the pad safety personnel must be available for the non-launch tasks that are always present for both launch pads

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transportation (CT) number 2 shows the new muffler system on the vehicle. The CT also recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transportation (CT) number 2 shows the new muffler system on the vehicle. The CT also recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

Evaluation philosophy for shuttle launched payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heuser, R. E.

1975-01-01

Potential benefits of factory-to-pad testing constitute major cost savings and increase test effectiveness. Overall flight performance will be improved. The factory-to-pad approach is compatible with space shuttle processing and the large space telescope program.

Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour as it leaps free of Launch Pad

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-08-08

Space Shuttle Endeavour paints the still-blue evening sky as it leaves Earth behind on its journey into space on mission STS-118. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on time at 6:36 p.m. EDT. The mission is the 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station. It will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, and other payloads such as the SPACEHAB module and the external stowage platform 3. The 11-day mission may be extended to as many as 14 depending on the test of the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System that will allow the docked shuttle to draw electrical power from the station and extend its visits to the orbiting lab.

Space Shuttle Atlantis rolls back to Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Photographed from the top of the Vehicle Assembly Building, Space Shuttle Atlantis creeps along the crawlerway for the 3.4-mile trek to Launch Pad 39A (upper left). In the background is the Atlantic Ocean; on either side is water from the Banana Creek (left) and Banana River (right). The Shuttle has been in the VAB undergoing tests on the solid rocket booster cables. A prior extensive evaluation of NASA's SRB cable inventory on the shelf revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis, causing return of the Shuttle to the VAB a week ago. Launch of Atlantis on STS-98 has been rescheduled to Feb. 7 at 6:11 p.m. EST.

STS-82 Post Flight Presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The STS-82 crew, Commander Kenneth D. Bowersox, Pilot Scott J. Horowitz, Payload Commander Mark C. Lee, and Mission Specialists Gregory J. Harbaugh, Steven L. Smith, Joseph R. Tanner, and Steven A. Hawley present a video and still picture overview of their mission. Included in the presentation are the following: the pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, being suited up, and riding out to the launch pad, various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad, the countdown, engine ignition, launch, shuttle roll maneuver, separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) from the shuttle, survey of the payload bay with the Shuttle's 50-foot remote manipulator system (RMS), the successful retrieve of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), EVAs to repair HST, release of HST, and the shuttle's landing.

KSC01pp0565

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Viewed from across the turn basin at Launch Complex 39 area, Space Shuttle Endeavour leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 (open door) atop a Mobile Launcher Platform and begins rolling to Launch Pad 39A via a crawler-transporter. The combined height of the Shuttle, MLP and transporter is 235.2 ft. (71.6 m). Once at the pad, routine launch pad validations will commence, verifying all vehicle and facility interfaces. Endeavour is expected to lift off on mission STS-100 on April 19, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station

KSC01padig173

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Viewed from across the turn basin at Launch Complex 39 area, Space Shuttle Endeavour leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 (open door) atop a Mobile Launcher Platform and begins rolling to Launch Pad 39A via a crawler-transporter. The combined height of the Shuttle, MLP and transporter is 235.2 ft. (71.6 m). Once at the pad, routine launch pad validations will commence, verifying all vehicle and facility interfaces. Endeavour is expected to lift off on mission STS-100 on April 19, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis / STS-129 Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-16

STS129-S-056 (16 Nov. 2009) --- Members of the space shuttle launch team watch Space Shuttle Atlantis' launch through the newly installed windows of Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff of Atlantis from Launch Pad 39A on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station came at 2:28 p.m. (EST) Nov. 16, 2009.

KSC-86PC-0310

NASA Image and Video Library

1986-10-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Kennedy Space Center Director Lt. Gen. Forrest S. McCartney, far right, stands in front of the space shuttle Atlantis the morning after it is rolled out to Launch Pad 39B. Standing with McCartney is, from right to left, Bob Sieck, director of Shuttle Management and Operations, Bill Warren, pad site manager, and Gene Thomas, director of Launch and Landing Operations. Photo credit: NASA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-81 Mission Specialist Jeff Wisoff prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39B with help from White Room closeout crew members Danny Wyatt (center) and Al Rochford.

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-81 Mission Specialist Jeff Wisoff prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39B with help from White Room closeout crew members Danny Wyatt (center) and Al Rochford.

ksc-93pc1449

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-11-15

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Endeavour is being "rolled around" from Launch Pad 39A to Launch Pad 39B. The rare pad switch was deemed necessary after contamination was discovered in the Payload Changeout Room at pad A. Still to come are the payloads for the upcoming STS-61 mission, the first servicing of the Hubble Telescope

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis / STS-129 Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-16

STS129-S-058 (16 Nov. 2009) --- In Firing Room 4 of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center, shuttle launch director Michael Leinbach (standing), assistant launch director Peter Nickolenko and Atlantis flow director Angie Brewer (both seated), applaud the launch team upon the successful launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. Liftoff of Atlantis from Launch Pad 39A on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station came at 2:28 p.m. (EST) Nov. 16, 2009.

STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery rollout to Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

As daylight creeps over the horizon, STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery, on the Mobile Launch Platform, arrives at Launch Complex Pad 39B after a 4.2-mile trip taking approximately 6 hours. At the left is the 'white room,' attached to the orbiter access arm. The white room is an environmental chamber that mates with the orbiter and holds six persons. At the launch pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the launch, scheduled to lift off Oct. 29. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

STS-107 Columbia rollout to Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Columbia, framed by trees near the Banana River, rolls towards Launch Pad 39A, sitting atop the Mobile Launcher Platform, which in turn is carried by the crawler-transporter underneath. The STS-107 research mission comprises experiments ranging from material sciences to life sciences (many rats), plus the Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR) that incorporates eight high priority secondary attached shuttle experiments. Mission STS-107 is scheduled to launch Jan. 16, 2003.

KSC-08pd1095

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the number of new equipment cabinets increases as workers put the elements together. The firing room will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1088

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A near-empty Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is ready for the installation of racks of equipment. The firing room will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1092

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a worker holds on to a cabinet being put together to hold equipment that will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1089

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room No. 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, panels stretch across the floor in preparation for erecting equipment racks. The firing room will support the future Ares rocket launches as part of the Constellation Program. Future astronauts will ride to orbit on Ares I, which uses a single five-segment solid rocket booster, a derivative of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, for the first stage. Ares will be launched from Pad 39B, which is being reconfigured from supporting space shuttle launches. The Launch Control Center firing rooms face the launch pads. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1111

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, access arms from the fixed service structure at Launch Pad 39A are in place against space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, as final prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission begins at the pad. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC ice/frost/debris assessment for Space Shuttle Mission STS-30R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

An ice/frost/debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-30R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The ice/frost/debris conditions of Mission STS-30R and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program is documented.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-39

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS (thermal protection system) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-39. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-39, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-103

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-103. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-103 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-91

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-91. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-91 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-93

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-93. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis findings of Space Shuttle mission STS-93 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-95. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-95 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-90

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-90. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system-conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-90 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-80

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-80. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission Space Transportation System (STS-80) and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-89

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-89. Debris inspections of the flight element and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection systems conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-89 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-112

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliu, Armando

2002-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-112. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-112 and the resulting effect of the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-74

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-74. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-74 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-87

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-87. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the-use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-87 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-96

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-96. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-96 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-101

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-101. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-101 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-88

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-88. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-88 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-64 on 9 August 1994

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, J. Bradley; Bowen, Barry C.; Rivera, Jorge E.; Speece, Robert F.; Katnik, Gregory N.

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-64. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-64, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-05PD-0633

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Space Shuttle Discovery lingers at the foot of Launch Pad 39B in the evening twilight. First motion from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 2:04 p.m. EDT April 6, and the Shuttle was hard down on the pad at 1:16 a.m. EDT April 7. The Shuttle sits atop a Mobile Launcher Platform transported by a Crawler-Transporter underneath. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS-114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-member crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station. Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-68

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Jorge E.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley; Speece, Robert F.

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-68. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report-documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-68, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-111

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliu, Armando

2005-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-111. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-111 and the resulting effect of the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-99

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-99. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-99 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-98

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Speece, Robert F.

2004-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-98. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-98 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-63

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-63. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, monographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-63, and the resulting effect on the space shuttle program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-66

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-66. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer program nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-66, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-97

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Jorge E.; Kelly, J. David (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-97. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch were analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris /ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-97 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-86

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-86. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-86 and the resulting affect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-100

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliu, Armando

2004-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-100. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-100 and the resulting effect of the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-92

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-92. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-92 and the resulting effect, if any, on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-65

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-65. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-65, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-2009-3137

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A closeup of damage found in the Launch Pad 39A flame trench at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-125 mission May 11. About 25 square feet of Fondue Fyre broke off from the north side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector. The flame trench channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle. Fondue Fyre is a fire-resistant concrete-like material. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area also were damaged. Preliminary assessments indicated technicians can make repairs to the pad in time to support space shuttle Endeavour's targeted June 13 launch. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3136

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A closeup of damage found in the Launch Pad 39A flame trench at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-125 mission May 11. About 25 square feet of Fondue Fyre broke off from the north side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector. The flame trench channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle. Fondue Fyre is a fire-resistant concrete-like material. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area also were damaged. Preliminary assessments indicated technicians can make repairs to the pad in time to support space shuttle Endeavour's targeted June 13 launch. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3135

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A closeup of damage found in the Launch Pad 39A flame trench at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-125 mission May 11. About 25 square feet of Fondue Fyre broke off from the north side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector. The flame trench channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle. Fondue Fyre is a fire-resistant concrete-like material. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area also were damaged. Preliminary assessments indicated technicians can make repairs to the pad in time to support space shuttle Endeavour's targeted June 13 launch. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Space Shuttle Discovery rolls out to Launch Pad 39A for Oct. 5 launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

As the sun crawls from below the horizon at right, Space Shuttle Discovery crawls up Launch Pad 39A and its resting spot next to the fixed service structure (FSS) (seen at left). The powerful silhouette dwarfs people and other vehicles near the FSS. Discovery is scheduled to launch Oct. 5 at 9:30 p.m. EDT on mission STS-92. Making the 100th Space Shuttle mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Discovery will carry two pieces of hardware for the International Space Station, the Z1 truss, which is the cornerstone truss of the Station, and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. Discovery also will be making its 28th flight into space, more than any of the other orbiters to date.

STS-82 Flight Day 01 Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The first day of the STS-82 mission begins with the crew, Commander Kenneth D. Bowersox, Pilot Scott J. Horowitz, Payload Commander Mark C. Lee, and Mission Specialists Gregory J. Harbaugh, Steven L. Smith, Joseph R. Tanner, and Steven A. Hawley performing pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, being suited up, and riding out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew is readied in the 'white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch, and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including the countdown, engine ignition, launch, shuttle roll maneuver, and then the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) from the shuttle. Once in orbit the cargo bay doors are seen opening.

STS-79 Atlantis arrives at LC39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The Space Shuttle Atlantis arrives at Launch Pad 39A at twilight. The second rollout to the pad brings Atlantis one step closer to a launch scheduled around September 12. Mission STS-79 will be highlighted by the fourth docking between the U.S. Space Shuttle and the Russian Space Station Mir, and the return to Earth of U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid after a record-setting stay aboard the station

KSC-00pp0407

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Seen from across the backwaters of the Indian River Lagoon, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, nears Launch Pad 39A at 1 mph. The crawler-transporter takes about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0407

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Seen from across the backwaters of the Indian River Lagoon, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, nears Launch Pad 39A at 1 mph. The crawler-transporter takes about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC-2011-4120

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-4112

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-4091

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis passes the Turn Basin as it makes its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2011-4111

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis embarks on its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-4115

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis passes the Turn Basin as it makes its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-4116

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in xenon lights, space shuttle Atlantis passes the Turn Basin as it makes its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, to the seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ARC-1980-AC80-0107-19

NASA Image and Video Library

1980-02-06

Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise mated to an external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters on top of a Mobil Launcher Platform, undergoes fit and function checks at the launch site for the first Space Shuttle at Launch Complex 39's Pad A. The dummy Space Shuttle was assembled in the Vehicle Assembly Building and rolled out to the launch site on May 1 as part of an exercise to make certain shuttle elements are compatible with the Spaceport's assembly and launch facilities and ground support equipment, and help clear the way for the launch of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia.

ARC-1980-AC80-0107-14

NASA Image and Video Library

1980-02-06

SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER ENTERPRISE MATED TO AN EXTERNAL FUEL TANK AND TWO SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS ON TOP OF A MOBIL LAUNCHER PLATFORM, UNDERGOES FIT AND FUNCTION CHECKS AT THE LAUNCH SITE FOR THE FIRST SPACE SHUTTLE AT LAUNCH COMPLEX 39'S PAD A. THE DUMMY SPACE SHUTTLE WAS ASSEMBLED IN THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING AND ROLLED OUT TO THE LAUNCH SITE ON MAY 1 AS PART OF AN EXERCISE TO MAKE CERTAIN SHUTTLE ELEMENTS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE SPACEPORT'S ASSEMBLY AND LAUNCH FACILITIES AND GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND HELP CLEAR THE WAY FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER COLUMBIA.

ARC-1980-AC80-0107-17

NASA Image and Video Library

1980-02-06

SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER ENTERPRISE MATED TO AN EXTERNAL FUEL TANK AND TWO SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS ON TOP OF A MOBIL LAUNCHER PLATFORM, UNDERGOES FIT AND FUNCTION CHECKS AT THE LAUNCH SITE FOR THE FIRST SPACE SHUTTLE AT LAUNCH COMPLEX 39'S PAD A. THE DUMMY SPACE SHUTTLE WAS ASSEMBLED IN THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING AND ROLLED OUT TO THE LAUNCH SITE ON MAY 1 AS PART OF AN EXERCISE TO MAKE CERTAIN SHUTTLE ELEMENTS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE SPACEPORT'S ASSEMBLY AND LAUNCH FACILITIES AND GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND HELP CLEAR THE WAY FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER COLUMBIA.

KSC00pp1301

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-09-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- This aerial photo captures Launch Pads 39B (left) and 39A (right). Space Shuttle Discovery waits on pad 39A for launch on mission STS-92 Oct. 5, 2000. The ball-shaped structures at left of the pads are storage tanks of the cryogenic liquid propellants for the orbiter’s main engines

KSC-00pp1301

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-09-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- This aerial photo captures Launch Pads 39B (left) and 39A (right). Space Shuttle Discovery waits on pad 39A for launch on mission STS-92 Oct. 5, 2000. The ball-shaped structures at left of the pads are storage tanks of the cryogenic liquid propellants for the orbiter’s main engines

KSC-08pd1107

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, access arms from the fixed service structure at Launch Pad 39A are extended toward space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, as final prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission gets under way at the pad. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

STS-108 Endeavour Launch from Pad 39-B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

STS-108 Endeavour Launch from Pad 39-B KSC-01PD-1785 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour soars into a twilight sky on mission STS-108, the second attempt over two days. Liftoff occurred at 5:19:28 p.m. EST (10:19.28 GMT). Endeavour will dock with the International Space Station on Dec. 7. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. It is the 12th flight to the Space Station. Landing of the orbiter at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility is targeted for 1:05 p.m. EST (6:05 p.m. GMT) Dec. 16.

STS-108 Endeavour Launch from Pad 39-B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

STS-108 Endeavour Launch from Pad 39-B KSC-01PD-1786 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Like a lighted taper, Space Shuttle Endeavour shines atop its twisted contrail as it soars into space on mission STS-108. Liftoff occurred at 5:19:28 p.m. EST (10:19.28 GMT). Endeavour will dock with the International Space Station on Dec. 7. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. It is the 12th flight to the Space Station. Landing of the orbiter at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility is targeted for 1:05 p.m. EST (6:05 p.m. GMT) Dec. 16.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-40

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A debris, ice, Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis for Space Shuttle Mission STS-40 was conducted. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice and frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice and debris sources and to evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies.

Photogrammetry and ballistic analysis of a high-flying projectile in the STS-124 space shuttle launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metzger, Philip T.; Lane, John E.; Carilli, Robert A.; Long, Jason M.; Shawn, Kathy L.

2010-07-01

A method combining photogrammetry with ballistic analysis is demonstrated to identify flying debris in a rocket launch environment. Debris traveling near the STS-124 Space Shuttle was captured on cameras viewing the launch pad within the first few seconds after launch. One particular piece of debris caught the attention of investigators studying the release of flame trench fire bricks because its high trajectory could indicate a flight risk to the Space Shuttle. Digitized images from two pad perimeter high-speed 16-mm film cameras were processed using photogrammetry software based on a multi-parameter optimization technique. Reference points in the image were found from 3D CAD models of the launch pad and from surveyed points on the pad. The three-dimensional reference points were matched to the equivalent two-dimensional camera projections by optimizing the camera model parameters using a gradient search optimization technique. Using this method of solving the triangulation problem, the xyz position of the object's path relative to the reference point coordinate system was found for every set of synchronized images. This trajectory was then compared to a predicted trajectory while performing regression analysis on the ballistic coefficient and other parameters. This identified, with a high degree of confidence, the object's material density and thus its probable origin within the launch pad environment. Future extensions of this methodology may make it possible to diagnose the underlying causes of debris-releasing events in near-real time, thus improving flight safety.

KSC-2011-2560

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Battalion Chief David Seymour provides supervision while space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 crew members participate in M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2573

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Battalion Chief David Seymour provides supervision while space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 crew members participate in M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This is the final scheduled spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2571

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Battalion Chief David Seymour provides supervision while space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 crew members participate in M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This is the final scheduled spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Discovery on Pad 39a

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-31

The space shuttle Discovery is seen on launch pad 39a early in the morning of Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010 at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. During Space Shuttle Discovery's final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew members will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier-4. Discovery is targeted for launch at 3:52 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

STS-133 Discovery

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-03

An faint profile outline of the space shuttle Discovery and launch pad 39a are seen projected in the sky as powerful xenon lights illuminate launch pad 39a on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010 at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. During space shuttle Discovery's final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew members will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier-4. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

KSC-07pd2681

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A, workers remove the rain gutters from space shuttle Discovery's payload bay. The gutters prevent leaks into the bay from rain while the shuttle is on the pad. Beneath is the orbital docking system. Mission STS-120 will bring the Harmony module that will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules to the International Space Station. Launch of Discovery is targeted for Oct. 23. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-33R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-33R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-33R, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for shuttle mission STS-31R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1990-01-01

A Debris/Ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-31R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-31R, is presented along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-38

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for the Space Shuttle Mission STS-38. Debris inspection of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-38, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-48

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-48. Debris inspection of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-48 are documented, along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-37

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-37. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or inflight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-37 are documented, along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-36

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1990-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS (Thermal Protection System) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-36. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-36, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-42

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS (Thermal Protection System) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-42. Debris inspection of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flighr anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions are documented along with photographic analysis of Mission STS-42, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-34

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

A Debris/Ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-34. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-34, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-41

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1990-01-01

A Debris/Ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-41. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. Documented here are the debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-41, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-2013-3237

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – As seen on Google Maps, the view from the top of the Fixed Service Structure at Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The FSS, as the structure is known, is 285 feet high and overlooks the Rotating Service Structure that was rolled into place when a space shuttle was at the pad. The path taken by NASA's massive crawler-transporters that carried the shuttle stack 3 miles from Vehicle Assembly Building are also visible leading up to the launch pad. In the distance are seen the launch pads and support structures at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for the Atlas V, Delta IV and Falcon 9 rockets. Google precisely mapped the space center and some of its historical facilities for the company's map page. The work allows Internet users to see inside buildings at Kennedy as they were used during the space shuttle era. Photo credit: Google/Wendy Wang

STS-87 Mission Specialist Chawla talks to the media during TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D., a mission specialist of the STS-87 crew, participates in a news briefing at Launch Pad 39B during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). First-time Shuttle flier Dr. Chawla reported for training as an astronaut at Johnson Space Center in 1995. She has a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight providing the crew of each mission opportunities to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-87 is scheduled for launch Nov. 19 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia from pad 39B at KSC.

KSC-97PC1603

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-11-04

Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D., a mission specialist of the STS-87 crew, participates in a news briefing at Launch Pad 39B during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). First-time Shuttle flier Dr. Chawla reported for training as an astronaut at Johnson Space Center in 1995. She has a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight providing the crew of each mission opportunities to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-87 is scheduled for launch Nov. 19 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia from pad 39B at KSC

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis / STS-129 Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-16

STS129-S-059 (16 Nov. 2009) --- In Firing Room 4 of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center, Kennedy Director Bob Cabana congratulates the launch team upon the successful launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. Liftoff of Atlantis from Launch Pad 39A on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station came at 2:28 p.m. (EST) Nov. 16, 2009.

STS-81 Rollout to Pad 39B (turtle in foreground)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Will the Space Shuttle Atlantis or the turtle reach Launch Pad 39B first? Carried atop the Mobile Launch Platform on the 6- million-pound Crawler Transporter, Shuttle Atlantis departs the Vehicle Assembly Building en route to Pad B at a maximum speed of 1 mile per hour. No one clocked the turtle, which seems to be heading in the same direction. Atlantis is tentatively scheduled to lift off on a nine-day mission on Jan. 12. STS-81 will be the fifth Shuttle-Mir docking. The six-member crew at liftoff will include Mission Specialist J.M. Linenger, who will transfer to the Russian Mir Space Station for an extended stay, replacing astronaut John E. Blaha, who will return to Earth on Atlantis.

STS-128 Space Shuttle Discovery on Pad 39a

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-08-24

The space shuttle Discovery is poised for liftoff on the STS-128 mission from pad 39a at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. Discovery is scheduled to launch early Tuesday morning. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

KSC-99pp0536

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Discovery, dwarfed by its external tank and solid rocket boosters, is in position in High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B this morning because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-00pp0406

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Passing by a palm tree, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter makes its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC-00pp0405

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Just after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter wends its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0406

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Passing by a palm tree, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter makes its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0405

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Just after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter wends its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0408

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, begins the climb up the ramp to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC-00pp0408

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, begins the climb up the ramp to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0637

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-05-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- After rollback of the Rotating Service Structure, Space Shuttle Atlantis can be seen atop the mobile launcher platform (MLP) on Launch Pad 39A. Below the MLP is the flame trench, part of the flame deflector system that insulates pad structures from the intense heat of launch. Made of concrete and refractory brick, the trench is 490 feet long, 48 feet wide and 40 feet high. At the top of the orange external tank can be seen the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Hood, often called the "beanie cap." The hood helps vent gaseous oxygen vapors away from the Space Shuttle. The hood will be raised and retracted two and a half minutes before launch. Abutting the side of Atlantis is the orbiter access arm with the environmental chamber known as the White Room at the end. The White Room provides access to the crew compartment. This will be the third assembly flight to the International Space Station. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis for the 10-day STS-101 mission is scheduled for about 6:12 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A. Landing is targeted for May 29 at 2:19 a.m. EDT. This is the 98th Shuttle flight and the 21st flight for Shuttle Atlantis

KSC-00pp0637

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-05-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- After rollback of the Rotating Service Structure, Space Shuttle Atlantis can be seen atop the mobile launcher platform (MLP) on Launch Pad 39A. Below the MLP is the flame trench, part of the flame deflector system that insulates pad structures from the intense heat of launch. Made of concrete and refractory brick, the trench is 490 feet long, 48 feet wide and 40 feet high. At the top of the orange external tank can be seen the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Hood, often called the "beanie cap." The hood helps vent gaseous oxygen vapors away from the Space Shuttle. The hood will be raised and retracted two and a half minutes before launch. Abutting the side of Atlantis is the orbiter access arm with the environmental chamber known as the White Room at the end. The White Room provides access to the crew compartment. This will be the third assembly flight to the International Space Station. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis for the 10-day STS-101 mission is scheduled for about 6:12 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A. Landing is targeted for May 29 at 2:19 a.m. EDT. This is the 98th Shuttle flight and the 21st flight for Shuttle Atlantis

NASA Manned Launch Vehicle Lightning Protection Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCollum, Matthew B.; Jones, Steven R.; Mack, Jonathan D.

2009-01-01

Historically, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) relied heavily on lightning avoidance to protect launch vehicles and crew from lightning effects. As NASA transitions from the Space Shuttle to the new Constellation family of launch vehicles and spacecraft, NASA engineers are imposing design and construction standards on the spacecraft and launch vehicles to withstand both the direct and indirect effects of lightning. A review of current Space Shuttle lightning constraints and protection methodology will be presented, as well as a historical review of Space Shuttle lightning requirements and design. The Space Shuttle lightning requirements document, NSTS 07636, Lightning Protection, Test and Analysis Requirements, (originally published as document number JSC 07636, Lightning Protection Criteria Document) was developed in response to the Apollo 12 lightning event and other experiences with NASA and the Department of Defense launch vehicles. This document defined the lightning environment, vehicle protection requirements, and design guidelines for meeting the requirements. The criteria developed in JSC 07636 were a precursor to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) lightning standards. These SAE standards, along with Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) DO-160, Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment, are the basis for the current Constellation lightning design requirements. The development and derivation of these requirements will be presented. As budget and schedule constraints hampered lightning protection design and verification efforts, the Space Shuttle elements waived the design requirements and relied on lightning avoidance in the form of launch commit criteria (LCC) constraints and a catenary wire system for lightning protection at the launch pads. A better understanding of the lightning environment has highlighted the vulnerability of the protection schemes and associated risk to the vehicle, which has resulted in lost launch opportunities and increased expenditures in manpower to assess Space Shuttle vehicle health and safety after lightning events at the launch pad. Because of high-percentage launch availability and long-term on-pad requirements, LCC constraints are no longer considered feasible. The Constellation vehicles must be designed to withstand direct and indirect effects of lightning. A review of the vehicle design and potential concerns will be presented as well as the new catenary lightning protection system for the launch pad. This system is required to protect the Constellation vehicles during launch processing when vehicle lightning effects protection might be compromised by such items as umbilical connections and open access hatches.

STS-135 Launch Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-07

NASA Chief, Astronaut Office, Johnson Space Center Peggy Whitson deals cards during a traditional game that is played at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Operations and Checkout Building with the shuttle crew prior to them leaving for the launch pad, on Friday, July 8, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The point of the game is that the commander must use up all his or her bad luck before launch, so the crew can only leave for the pad after the commander loses. The launch of Atlantis, STS-135, is the final flight of the shuttle program, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Jerry Ross)

KSC-06pd0903

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Near Launch Pad 39B, wild pigs (at right) root for food near a stand of trees while Space Shuttle Discovery rolls out to the pad. The 4.2-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 12:45 p.m. EDT. The rollout is an important step before launch of Discovery on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. Discovery's launch is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

KSC-2013-1513

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Launch Pad 39B elevator has been upgraded and painted. Also, various fluid interface connections have been installed on the pad. New system connections include chilled water supply-and-return and conditioned air that will be used to provide the mobile launcher with the necessary commodities during launch operations. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad B to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, which is under design, and new Orion spacecraft. The pads supported space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

STS-65 Columbia, OV-102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, begins its roll maneuver after clearing the fixed service structure (FSS) tower as it rises above Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A. In the foreground of this horizontal scene is Florida brush and a waterway. Beyond the brush, the shuttle's exhaust cloud envelops the immediate launch pad area. Launch occurred at 12:43 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The glow of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) and solid rocket booster (SRB) firings is reflected in the nearby waterway. Once in Earth orbit, STS-65's six NASA astronauts and a Japanese Payload Specialist aboard OV-102 will begin two weeks of experimentation in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2).

STS-65 Columbia, OV-102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-07-08

Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, begins its roll maneuver after clearing the fixed service structure (FSS) tower as it rises above Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A. In the foreground of this horizontal scene is Florida brush and a waterway. Beyond the brush, the shuttle's exhaust cloud envelops the immediate launch pad area. Launch occurred at 12:43 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The glow of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) and solid rocket booster (SRB) firings is reflected in the nearby waterway. Once in Earth orbit, STS-65's six NASA astronauts and a Japanese Payload Specialist aboard OV-102 will begin two weeks of experimentation in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2).

Effect of 25 cycles of launch pad exposure and simulated mission heating on space shuttle reusable surface insulation coated with reaction cured glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ransone, P. O.; Morrison, J. D.; Minster, J. E.

1979-01-01

Tiles of space shuttle reusable surface insulation coated with reaction cured glass were subjected to 25 cycles of launch pad exposure and simulated mission heating. The coating could not withstand the environment without cracking. Water absorption after cracking reached as high as 150 weight percent. Exposure of insulation fibers beneath the coating to contaminants dissolved in absorbed water initiated fiber degradation.

Earth observations taken during the STS-103 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-12-26

STS103-728-035 (19-27 December 1999) --- One of the astronauts aboard the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Discovery used a handheld 70mm camera to photograph this scene of the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and its environs. The old launch pads dot the "V" shaped land (Cape Canaveral) along the coast. On Merritt Island the Shuttle launch pads and runway are visible. The large city surrounded by circular lakes to the west of Cape Canaveral is Orlando.

KSC-07pd2680

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A, workers are removing the rain gutters from space shuttle Discovery's payload bay. The gutters prevent leaks into the bay from rain while the shuttle is on the pad. Beneath is the orbital docking system. Mission STS-120 will bring the Harmony module that will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules to the International Space Station. Launch of Discovery is targeted for Oct. 23. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Photography by KSC Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise mated to an external fuel tank and two solid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Photography by KSC Space Shuttle Orbiter Enterprise mated to an external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters on top of a Mobil Launcher Platform, undergoes fit and function checks at the launch site for the first Space Shuttle at Launch Complex 39's Pad A. The dummy Space Shuttle was assembled in the Vehicle Assembly Building and rolled out to the launch site on May 1 as part of an exercise to make certain shuttle elements are compatible with the Spaceport's assembly and launch facilities and ground support equipment, and help clear the way for the launch of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KSC SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER ENTERPRISE MATED TO AN EXTERNAL FUEL TANK AND TWO SOLID

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KSC SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER ENTERPRISE MATED TO AN EXTERNAL FUEL TANK AND TWO SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS ON TOP OF A MOBIL LAUNCHER PLATFORM, UNDERGOES FIT AND FUNCTION CHECKS AT THE LAUNCH SITE FOR THE FIRST SPACE SHUTTLE AT LAUNCH COMPLEX 39'S PAD A. THE DUMMY SPACE SHUTTLE WAS ASSEMBLED IN THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING AND ROLLED OUT TO THE LAUNCH SITE ON MAY 1 AS PART OF AN EXERCISE TO MAKE CERTAIN SHUTTLE ELEMENTS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE SPACEPORT'S ASSEMBLY AND LAUNCH FACILITIES AND GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND HELP CLEAR THE WAY FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER COLUMBIA.

Calculated maximum Hl ground-level concentrations downwind from launch pad aborts of the space shuttle and Titan 3 C vehicles at Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumbauld, R. K.; Bjorklund, J. R.

1972-01-01

A quantitative assessment is described of the potential environmental hazard posed by the atmospheric release of HCl resulting from the burning of solid propellant during two hypothetical on-pad aborts of the Titan 3 C and space shuttle vehicles at Kennedy Space Center. In one pad-abort situation, it is assumed that the cases of the two solid-propellant engines are ruptured and the burning propellant falls to the ground in the immediate vicinity of the launch pad where it continues to burn for 5 minutes. In the other pad-abort situation considered, one of the two solid engines on each vehicle is assumed to ignite and burn at the normal rate while the vehicle remains on the launch pad. Calculations of maximum HCl ground-level concentration for the above on-pad abort situations were made using the computerized NASA/MSFC multilayer diffusion models in conjunction with appropriate meteorological and source inputs. Three meteorological regimes are considered-fall, spring, and afternoon sea-breeze. Source inputs for the hazard calculations were developed. The principal result of the calculations is that maximum ground-level HCl concentrations at distances greater than 1 kilometer from the launch pad are less than 3 parts per million in all cases considered.

STS-84 Atlantis on Pad 39-A after RSS roll back

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

News media representatives watch and record as the Space Shuttle Atlantis in full launch configuration is revealed after the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) is rotated back at Launch Pad 39A. Rollback of the RSS is a major preflight milestone, typically occurring during the T-11-hour hold on L-1 (the day before launch). Atlantis and its crew of seven are in final preparations for liftoff on Mission STS-84, the sixth of nine planned dockings of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. Launch is scheduled at about 4:08 a.m. during an approximately 7-minute launch window. The exact liftoff time will be determined about 90 minutes prior to launch, based on the most current location of Mir.

Length of stain dosimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lueck, Dale E.

1994-04-01

Payload customers for the Space Shuttle have recently expressed concerns about the possibility of their payloads at an adjacent pad being contaminated by plume effluents from a shuttle at an active pad as they await launch on an inactive pad. As part of a study to satisfy such concerns a ring of inexpensive dosimeters was deployed around the active pad at the inter-pad distance. However, following a launch, dosimeters cannot be read for several hours after the exposure. As a consequence factors such as different substrates, solvent systems, and possible volatilization of HCl from the badges were studied. This observation led to the length of stain (LOS) dosimeters of this invention. Commercial passive LOS dosimeters are sensitive only to the extent of being capable of sensing 2 ppm to 20 ppm if the exposure is 8 hours. To map and quantitate the HCl generated by Shuttle launches, and in the atmosphere within a radius of 1.5 miles from the active pad, a sensitivity of 2 ppm HCl in the atmospheric gases on an exposure of 5 minutes is required. A passive length of stain dosimeter has been developed having a sensitivity rendering it capable of detecting a gas in a concentration as low as 2 ppm on an exposure of five minutes.

Length of stain dosimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lueck, Dale E. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

Payload customers for the Space Shuttle have recently expressed concerns about the possibility of their payloads at an adjacent pad being contaminated by plume effluents from a shuttle at an active pad as they await launch on an inactive pad. As part of a study to satisfy such concerns a ring of inexpensive dosimeters was deployed around the active pad at the inter-pad distance. However, following a launch, dosimeters cannot be read for several hours after the exposure. As a consequence factors such as different substrates, solvent systems, and possible volatilization of HCl from the badges were studied. This observation led to the length of stain (LOS) dosimeters of this invention. Commercial passive LOS dosimeters are sensitive only to the extent of being capable of sensing 2 ppm to 20 ppm if the exposure is 8 hours. To map and quantitate the HCl generated by Shuttle launches, and in the atmosphere within a radius of 1.5 miles from the active pad, a sensitivity of 2 ppm HCl in the atmospheric gases on an exposure of 5 minutes is required. A passive length of stain dosimeter has been developed having a sensitivity rendering it capable of detecting a gas in a concentration as low as 2 ppm on an exposure of five minutes.

KSC-99pp0525

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

As the sun begins to rise, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-02pd1293

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-09-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After an early morning rollout, Space Shuttle Atlantis sits on the launch pad. Visible near the tail are the tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft T-0 umbilicals. After being stacked with its solid rocket boosters and external tank, Atlantis began its rollout to Launch Pad 39B at 2:27 a.m. EDT in preparation for launch to the International Space Station. The Shuttle arrived at the Pad and was hard down at 9:38 a.m. Launch is scheduled no earlier than Oct. 2 for mission STS-112, the 15th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Atlantis will carry the S1 Integrated Truss Structure, which will be attached to the central truss segment, the S0 truss, during the mission.

STS-91 Launch of Discovery from Launch Pad 39-A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Some of Florida's natural foliage stands silent sentinel to the lift off of the Space Shuttle Discovery from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as an STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir.

STS-99 Endeavour lifts off from Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Through the shrubs surrounding the water near Launch Pad 39A can be seen Space Shuttle Endeavour roaring into the clear blue Florida sky on mission STS-99. aunch of Endeavour occurred at 12:43:40 p.m. EST. Known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), STS-99 will chart a new course to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface. The result of the SRTM could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. The mission is expected to last 11days, with Endeavour landing at KSC Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 4:36 p.m. EST. This is the 97th Shuttle flight and 14th for Shuttle Endeavour.

STS-108 Endeavour Launch from Pad 39-B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

STS-108 Endeavour Launch from Pad 39-B KSC-01PD-1787 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Spewing flames and smoke, Space Shuttle Endeavour hurtles into the twilight sky on mission STS-108. The second attempt in two days, liftoff occurred at 5:19:28 p.m. EST (10:19.28 GMT). Endeavour will dock with the International Space Station on Dec. 7. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. It is the 12th flight to the Space Station. Landing of the orbiter at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility is targeted for 1:05 p.m. EST (6:05 p.m. GMT) Dec. 16.

Launch of STS-66 Space Shuttle Atlantis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The Space Shuttle Atlantis returns to work after a refurbishing and a two-year layoff, as liftoff for NASA's STS-66 occurs at noon (EDT), November 3, 1994. A 70mm camera was used to record the image. Note the vegetation and the reflection of the launch in the water across from the launch pad.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for shuttle mission STS-35

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, James Bradley

1991-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-35. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after the launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, monographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. Documented here are the debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-35, and the overall effect of these conditions on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-28R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-28R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-28R is documented along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC00pp0142

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-02-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour sits on Launch Pad 39A waiting for the Rotating Service Structure to be rolled back into its protective position. The launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace the Enhanced Master Events Controller that became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown. The next scheduled launch is NET Feb. 9

KSC-00pp0142

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-02-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour sits on Launch Pad 39A waiting for the Rotating Service Structure to be rolled back into its protective position. The launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace the Enhanced Master Events Controller that became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown. The next scheduled launch is NET Feb. 9

STS-101 Space Shuttle Atlantis after RSS rollback at Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

The Rotating Service Structure (left) begins rolling back from Space Shuttle Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A. Atlantis is targeted for liftoff at 4:15 p.m. EDT April 24 on mission STS-101. The mission will take the crew of seven to the International Space Station to deliver logistics and supplies and prepare the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk. This will be the third assembly flight to the Space Station.

KSC-00padig058

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-31

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Inside the gate to Launch Pad 39B, Space Shuttle Endeavour and the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) start up the incline to the top of the pad. The crawler-transporter beneath the MLP, which moves the Shuttle at about 1 mph, has a leveling system designed to keep the top of the Space Shuttle vertical while negotiating the 5 percent grade leading to the top of the pad. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections

KSC-08pd1503

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Against the dark sky, lights bathe space shuttle Discovery, revealed after rollback of the rotating service structure in preparation for launch on the STS-124 mission. First motion was at 8:33 p.m. and rollback was complete at 9:07 p.m. The rotating structure provides protected access to the shuttle for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. It is supported by a rotating bridge that pivots on a vertical axis on the west side of the pad's flame trench. After the RSS is rolled back, the orbiter is ready for fuel cell activation and external tank cryogenic propellant loading operations. The pad is cleared to the perimeter gate for operations to fill the external tank with about 500,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants used by the shuttle’s main engines. This is done at the pad approximately eight hours before the scheduled launch. Above the orange external tank is the oxygen vent hood, called the "beanie cap," at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm extending from the fixed service structure. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the space shuttle vehicle. Below is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end, flush against the shuttle. The White Room provides access into the shuttle. The STS-124 mission is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, roll out to KSC Launch Complex Pad 39B

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-03-13

S92-34862 (13 March 1992) --- An otter, surprised by the unexpected presence of the photographer, seems unaware of the Space Shuttle Endeavour rolling behind it to Launch Pad 39B. Endeavour is the newest orbiter in the Shuttle fleet. Still ahead for Endeavour (OV-105) is a Flight Readiness Firing of its three main engines, and the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test with the flight crew. Endeavour's maiden voyage on NASA's mission STS-49 will occur in late spring.

KSC-2010-4758

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction crews lay large wooden mats on top of sand and reinforcing steel to protect the concrete under the rotating service structure (RSS) of Launch Pad 39B during deconstruction. In the background, space shuttle Discovery stands tall on Launch Pad 39A, awaiting its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Starting in 2009, the structure at Pad B was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-5951

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With more than 12 times the thrust produced by a Boeing 747 jet aircraft, the Constellation Program's Ares I-X test rocket roars off Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and goes supersonic in 39 seconds. At left is space shuttle Atlantis, poised on Launch Pad 39A for liftoff, targeted for Nov. 16. Liftoff of the 6-minute flight test was at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews

KSC-2009-4425

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-08-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Sitting on top of the mobile launcher platform, space shuttle Discovery straddles the flame trench, which channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle during liftoff, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Traveling from the Vehicle Assembly Building, the shuttle took nearly 12 hours on the journey as technicians stopped several times to clear mud from the crawler's treads and bearings caused by the waterlogged crawlerway. First motion out of the VAB was at 2:07 a.m. EDT Aug. 4. Rollout was delayed approximately 2 hours due to lightning in the area. Discovery was secured, or "hard down" to Launch Pad 39A at 1:50 p.m. EDT. "Hard down" means that the mobile launcher platform, or MLP, is sitting on the pedestals on the pad, and the crawler has been jacked down, thus transferring the weight of the MLP from the crawler to the pad pedestals. Discovery's 13-day flight will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the International Space Station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch of Discovery on its STS-128 mission is targeted for late August. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2013-4208

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A truck sprays water along the crawlerway to reduce dust ahead of crawler-transporter 1 as it continues its trek to Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. New jacking, equalizing and leveling, or JEL, hydraulic cylinders were installed on CT-1 and will be tested for increased load carrying capacity and reliability. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy continues to upgrade the crawler-transporter as part of its general maintenance. CT-1 could be available to carry a variety of launch vehicles to the launch pad. Two crawler-transporters were used to carry the mobile launcher platform and space shuttle to Launch Complex 39 for space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2013-4202

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A truck sprays water along the crawlerway to reduce dust ahead of crawler-transporter 1 as it begins its trek to Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. New jacking, equalizing and leveling, or JEL, hydraulic cylinders were installed on CT-1 and are being tested for increased load carrying capacity and reliability. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy continues to upgrade the crawler-transporter as part of its general maintenance. CT-1 could be available to carry a variety of launch vehicles to the launch pad. Two crawler-transporters were used to carry the mobile launcher platform and space shuttle to Launch Complex 39 for space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper

The Role of CFD Simulation in Rocket Propulsion Support Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, Jeff

2011-01-01

Outline of the presentation: CFD at NASA/MSFC (1) Flight Projects are the Customer -- No Science Experiments (2) Customer Support (3) Guiding Philosophy and Resource Allocation (4) Where is CFD at NASA/MSFC? Examples of the expanding Role of CFD at NASA/MSFC (1) Liquid Rocket Engine Applications : Evolution from Symmetric and Steady to 3D Unsteady (2)Launch Pad Debris Transport-> Launch Pad Induced Environments (a) STS and Launch Pad Geometry-steady (b) Moving Body Shuttle Launch Simulations (c) IOP and Acoustics Simulations (3)General Purpose CFD Applications (4) Turbomachinery Applications

KSC-2013-1515

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, various fluid interface connections have been installed at Launch Pad 39B. New system connections include chilled water supply-and-return and conditioned air that will be used to provide the mobile launcher with the necessary commodities during launch operations. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad B to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, which is under design, and new Orion spacecraft. The pads supported space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2013-1514

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, various fluid interface connections have been installed at Launch Pad 39B. New system connections include chilled water supply-and-return and conditioned air that will be used to provide the mobile launcher with the necessary commodities during launch operations. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad B to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, which is under design, and new Orion spacecraft. The pads supported space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2013-1512

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, various fluid interface connections have been installed at Launch Pad 39B. New system connections include chilled water supply-and-return and conditioned air that will be used to provide the mobile launcher with the necessary commodities during launch operations. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad B to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, which is under design, and new Orion spacecraft. The pads supported space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2013-1517

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, various fluid interface connections have been installed at Launch Pad 39B. New system connections include chilled water supply-and-return and conditioned air that will be used to provide the mobile launcher with the necessary commodities during launch operations. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad B to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, which is under design, and new Orion spacecraft. The pads supported space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2013-1516

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, various fluid interface connections have been installed at Launch Pad 39B. New system connections include chilled water supply-and-return and conditioned air that will be used to provide the mobile launcher with the necessary commodities during launch operations. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad B to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, which is under design, and new Orion spacecraft. The pads supported space shuttle launches for 30 years. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-08pd2526

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-09-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Space shuttle Atlantis stands ready in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for the pending rollout to Launch Pad 39A. The Sept. 2 rollout date was postponed due to Tropical Storm Hanna’s shift to a northern track. Managers are closely following Hanna to determine when would be the best time this week to move space shuttle Atlantis to its launch pad. The tentative rollout time is 10 a.m. Sept. 4, depending on the track Hanna follows along the Florida coast. Atlantis is scheduled to launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Launch is targeted for Oct. 8. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-06pd1335

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians adjust two bird detection radars near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd1332

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Bird detection radar is set up near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-06pd1333

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians set up bird detection radar near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-06pd1334

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians adjust two bird detection radars near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd1336

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians adjust two bird detection radars near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd1331

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Bird detection radar is delivered near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

STS-81 Flight Day 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This first day of the STS-81 mission begins with the flight crew, Cmdr. Michael A. Baker, Pilot Brent W. Jett, Mission Specialists, John M. Grunsfeld, Marsha S. Ivins, Peter J.K. Wisoff, and Jerry M. Linenger, performing pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, being suited-up, and riding out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew is readied in the 'white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including the countdown, engine ignition, and launch. The film ends with the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) from the shuttle.

KSC-08pd1109

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, dawn reveals the arrival of space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, at Launch Pad 39A to begin prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd1106

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, arrives at Launch Pad 39A to begin prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd1105

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This aerial view of NASA's Kennedy Space Center shows space shuttle Discovery, secured atop a mobile launch platform as it is moved into position at Launch Pad 39A to prepare for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd1110

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the sun rises upon the arrival of space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, at Launch Pad 39A to begin prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd3184

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A videographer captures the dramatic sunset on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Space shuttle Atlantis is on the pad. Atop the fixed service structure at right is the 80-foot tall lightning mast that helps provide lightning protection for the shuttle on the pad. Atlantis’ October target launch date for the STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission was delayed after a device on board Hubble used in the storage and transmission of science data to Earth shut down on Sept. 27. Replacing the broken device will be added to Atlantis’ servicing mission to the telescope. In the interim, Atlantis will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building until a new target launch date can be set for the mission in 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd3183

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is silhouetted against a sunset sky. Space shuttle Atlantis is on the pad. Atop the fixed service structure at right is the 80-foot tall lightning mast that helps provide lightning protection for the shuttle on the pad. Atlantis’ October target launch date for the STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission was delayed after a device on board Hubble used in the storage and transmission of science data to Earth shut down on Sept. 27. Replacing the broken device will be added to Atlantis’ servicing mission to the telescope. In the interim, Atlantis will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building until a new target launch date can be set for the mission in 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-07pd1811

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-07-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister is lifted off its transporter up to the payload changeout room. Inside the canister are the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3, the payload for mission STS-118. The red umbilical lines are still attached. The payloads will be transferred inside the changeout room to wait for Space Shuttle Endeavour to arrive at the pad. The changeout room is the enclosed, environmentally controlled portion of the rotating service structure that supports cargo delivery to the pad and subsequent vertical installation into the orbiter payload bay. The mission will be Endeavour's first flight in more than four years. The shuttle has undergone extensive modifications, including the addition of safety upgrades already added to shuttles Discovery and Atlantis. Endeavour also features new hardware, such as the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System that will allow the docked shuttle to draw electrical power from the station and extend its visits to the orbiting lab. Space Shuttle Endeavour is targeted for launch on Aug. 7 from Launch Pad 39A. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-55 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, SSME abort at KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-03-22

S93-31601 (March 1993) --- The second Space Shuttle launch attempt of 1993 comes to an abrupt halt when one of the three main engines on the orbiter Columbia shuts down at T -3 seconds, resulting in an on-the-pad abort of Mission STS-55. This was the first time in the post-Challenger era that a main engine shutdown has halted a Shuttle launch countdown, and only the third time in the history of the program. In 1984, STS-41D was scrubbed at T -4 seconds when the orbiter General Purpose Computer detected an anomaly in a main engine, and in 1985, STS-51F was halted at T -3 seconds due to a main engine malfunction that caused shutdown of all three engines. Columbia had been scheduled to lift off from Launch Pad 39B is the Space Shuttle Discovery, undergoing preparations for lift off on Mission STS-56.

KSC-00pp0143

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-02-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Cloud cover rolls in behind Space Shuttle Endeavour as the Rotating Service Structure begins rolling back into its protective position on Launch Pad 39A. The launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace the Enhanced Master Events Controller that became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown. The next scheduled launch is NET Feb. 9

KSC00pp0143

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-02-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Cloud cover rolls in behind Space Shuttle Endeavour as the Rotating Service Structure begins rolling back into its protective position on Launch Pad 39A. The launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace the Enhanced Master Events Controller that became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown. The next scheduled launch is NET Feb. 9

KSC-00pp1296

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-09-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The morning sun spotlights Launch Pad 39A and Space Shuttle Discovery atop the Mobile Launcher Platform. To its left is the Rotating Service Structure in its open position, at the top of the ramp that the Shuttle must negotiate on the crawler-transporter. Above Discovery looms the 80-foot fiberglass lightning mast. At the far left is the Vehicle Assembly Building, where a Space Shuttle begins its voyage to the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-92 Oct. 5 at 9:30 p.m. EDT. Making the 100th Space Shuttle mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Discovery will carry two pieces of hardware for the International Space Station, the Z1 truss, which is the cornerstone truss of the Station, and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. Discovery also will be making its 28th flight into space, more than any of the other orbiters to date

KSC00pp1296

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-09-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The morning sun spotlights Launch Pad 39A and Space Shuttle Discovery atop the Mobile Launcher Platform. To its left is the Rotating Service Structure in its open position, at the top of the ramp that the Shuttle must negotiate on the crawler-transporter. Above Discovery looms the 80-foot fiberglass lightning mast. At the far left is the Vehicle Assembly Building, where a Space Shuttle begins its voyage to the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-92 Oct. 5 at 9:30 p.m. EDT. Making the 100th Space Shuttle mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Discovery will carry two pieces of hardware for the International Space Station, the Z1 truss, which is the cornerstone truss of the Station, and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. Discovery also will be making its 28th flight into space, more than any of the other orbiters to date

STS-91 Launch of Discovery from Launch Pad 39-A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Searing the early evening sky with its near sun-like rocket exhaust, the Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2 on its way to the Mir space station. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as a STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir.

KSC-2009-3314

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A view of the flame trench on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida where repairs of the Fondue Fyre have been made. After launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-125 mission on May 11, a 25-square-foot area of Fondue Fyre from the north side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector was damaged. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area also were damaged and needed to be repaired. The flame trench channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle during liftoff. Fondue Fyre is a fire-resistant concrete-like material that replaced the original flame trench bricks. It can be sprayed on the surface. Pad 39A will be used for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission targeted for June 13. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-3313

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A view of the flame trench on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida where repairs of the Fondue Fyre have been made. After launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-125 mission on May 11, a 25-square-foot area of Fondue Fyre from the north side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector was damaged. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area also were damaged and needed to be repaired. The flame trench channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle during liftoff. Fondue Fyre is a fire-resistant concrete-like material that replaced the original flame trench bricks. It can be sprayed on the surface. Pad 39A will be used for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission targeted for June 13. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-3312

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A view of the flame trench on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida where repairs of the Fondue Fyre have been made. After launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-125 mission on May 11, a 25-square-foot area of Fondue Fyre from the north side of the solid rocket booster flame deflector was damaged. Some pneumatic lines (gaseous nitrogen, pressurized air) in the area also were damaged and needed to be repaired. The flame trench channels the flames and smoke exhaust of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters away from the space shuttle during liftoff. Fondue Fyre is a fire-resistant concrete-like material that replaced the original flame trench bricks. It can be sprayed on the surface. Pad 39A will be used for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission targeted for June 13. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Analysis of the March 30, 2011 Hail Event at Shuttle Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, John E.; Doesken, Nolan J.; Kasparis, Takis C.; Sharp, David W.

2012-01-01

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Hail Monitor System, a joint effort of the NASA KSC Physics Lab and the KSC Engineering Services Contract (ESC) Applied Technology Lab, was first deployed for operational testing in the fall of 2006. Volunteers from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) in conjunction with Colorado State University have been instrumental in validation testing using duplicate hail monitor systems at sites in the hail prone high plains of Colorado. The KSC Hail Monitor System (HMS), consisting of three stations positioned approximately 500 ft from the launch pad and forming an approximate equilateral triangle, as shown in Figure 1, was first deployed to Pad 39B for support of STS-115. Two months later, the HMS was deployed to Pad 39A for support of STS-116. During support of STS-117 in late February 2007, an unusually intense (for Florida standards) hail event occurred in the immediate vicinity of the exposed space shuttle and launch pad. Hail data of this event was collected by the HMS and analyzed. Support of STS-118 revealed another important application of the hail monitor system. Ground Instrumentation personnel check the hail monitors daily when a vehicle is on the launch pad, with special attention after any storm suspected of containing hail. If no hail is recorded by the HMS, the vehicle and pad inspection team has no need to conduct a thorough inspection of the vehicle immediately following a storm. On the afternoon of July 13, 2007, hail on the ground was reported by observers at the Vertical Assembly Building (VAB) and Launch Control Center (LCC), about three miles west of Pad 39A, as well as at several other locations at KSC. The HMS showed no impact detections, indicating that the shuttle had not been damaged by any of the numerous hail events which occurred on that day.

KSC Launch Pad Flame Trench Environment Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, Luz Marina; Hintze, Paul E.; Parlier, Christopher R.; Curran, Jerome P.; Kolody, Mark R.; Sampson, Jeffrey W.

2010-01-01

This report summarizes conditions in the Launch Complex 39 (LC-39) flame trenches during a Space Shuttle Launch, as they have been measured to date. Instrumentation of the flame trench has been carried out by NASA and United Space Alliance for four Shuttle launches. Measurements in the flame trench are planned to continue for the duration of the Shuttle Program. The assessment of the launch environment is intended to provide guidance in selecting appropriate test methods for refractory materials used in the flame trench and to provide data used to improve models of the launch environment in the flame trench.

KSC-2011-2567

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-134 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel listens intently to instruction during M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This is the final scheduled spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2565

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Roberto Vittori, European Space Agency astronaut listens intently to instruction during M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This is the final scheduled spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2557

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff prepares to drive an M113 armored personnel carrier. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2693

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-134 Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff gives a thumbs-up as he takes his seat aboard space shuttle Endeavour during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Part of TCDT includes practicing the final hours of a real launch day when astronauts put on their launch-and-entry suits, ride to the pad in the Astrovan and strap into the shuttle. Endeavour's six crew members are targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT. They will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the International Space Station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2686

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly prepares to board space shuttle Endeavour during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). Part of TCDT includes practicing the final hours of a real launch day when astronauts put on their launch-and-entry suits, ride to the pad in the Astrovan and strap into the shuttle. Endeavour's six crew members are targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT. They will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the International Space Station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-2566

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-134 Pilot Greg H. Johnson listens intently to instruction during M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This is the final scheduled spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-2689

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Mission Specialist Michael Fincke prepares to board space shuttle Endeavour during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). Part of TCDT includes practicing the final hours of a real launch day when astronauts put on their launch-and-entry suits, ride to the pad in the Astrovan and strap into the shuttle. Endeavour's six crew members are targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT. They will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the International Space Station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-2694

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-134 Pilot Greg H. Johnson gives a thumbs-up as he takes his seat aboard space shuttle Endeavour during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Part of TCDT includes practicing the final hours of a real launch day when astronauts put on their launch-and-entry suits, ride to the pad in the Astrovan and strap into the shuttle. Endeavour's six crew members are targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT. They will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the International Space Station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-99pp0550

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- United Space Alliance technician Don Pataky repairs hail-inflicted damage in the foam insulation on the external tank of Space Shuttle Discovery. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assemby Building for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad late this week for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0551

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- United Space Alliance technician Don Pataky repairs one of the hail-created divots in the foam insulation on the external tank of Space Shuttle Discovery. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assemby Building for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad late this week for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-02pp1818

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-11-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Blue mach diamonds appear behind the main engine nozzles on Space Shuttle Endeavour as it roars off the launch pad on mission STS-113. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A occurred ontime at 7:49:47 p.m. EST. The launch is the 19th for Endeavour, and the 112th flight in the Shuttle program. Mission STS-113 is the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying another structure for the Station, the P1 integrated truss. Also onboard are the Expedition 6 crew, who will replace Expedition 5. Endeavour is scheduled to land at KSC after an 11-day journey.

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

A 35mm camera was used to expose this close-up image of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it began its race to catch up with Russia's Mir Space Station. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) occurred at 12:22:04 (EST) February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four space shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches.

KSC-07pd3576

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-12-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after the rotating service structure, or RSS, at left of the pad is rolled back. Rollback was complete at 8:44 p.m. EST. The RSS provides protected access to the orbiter for crew entry and servicing of payloads at the pad. Rollback of the pad's RSS is one of the milestones in preparation for the launch of mission STS-122, scheduled for 4:31 p.m. EST on Dec. 6. Beneath the shuttle is the mobile launcher platform which supports the shuttle until liftoff. Atlantis will carry the Columbus Laboratory, the European Space Agency's largest contribution to the construction of the International Space Station. It will support scientific and technological research in a microgravity environment. Permanently attached to Node 2 of the space station, the laboratory will carry out experiments in materials science, fluid physics and biosciences, as well as perform a number of technological applications. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd3580

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-12-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis is revealed on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after the rotating service structure, or RSS, at left of the pad is rolled back. Rollback was complete at 8:44 p.m. EST. The RSS provides protected access to the orbiter for crew entry and servicing of payloads at the pad. Rollback of the pad's RSS is one of the milestones in preparation for the launch of mission STS-122, scheduled for 4:31 p.m. EST on Dec. 6. Beneath the shuttle is the mobile launcher platform which supports the shuttle until liftoff. Atlantis will carry the Columbus Laboratory, the European Space Agency's largest contribution to the construction of the International Space Station. It will support scientific and technological research in a microgravity environment. Permanently attached to Node 2 of the space station, the laboratory will carry out experiments in materials science, fluid physics and biosciences, as well as perform a number of technological applications. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-99pp0526

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As the sun begins to rise, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0527

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the early light of dawn, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery, with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0528

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Lighted by a Florida sunrise, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery from Pad 39B (in the background right) back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington at pad before launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington pauses in front of Space Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A during a tour of Kennedy Space Center prior to his launch. Upon launch, Herrington will become the first Native American in space. The primary mission of STS-113 is bringing the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and returning the Expedition 5 crew to Earth. Another major objective of the mission is delivery of the Port 1 (P1) Integrated Truss Assembly, which will be attached to the port side of the S0 truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install and activate the truss and its associated equipment. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-113 is scheduled for Nov. 11 between midnight and 4 a.m. EST.

STS-87 Mission Specialist Chawla is assisted with her launch and entry spacesuit at LC 39B during TC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

STS-87 Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D., is assisted with her orange launch and entry spacesuit by NASA suit technicians at Launch Pad 39B during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The crew of the STS-87 mission is scheduled for launch Nov. 19 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight providing the crew of each mission opportunities to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay.

KSC-08pd3271

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Next to the waters of the Banana River, space shuttle Atlantis rolls away from the rotating and fixed service structures on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At far right is Launch Pad 39B where space shuttle Endeavour is seen. First motion of Atlantis was at 6:48 a.m. EDT. Atlantis is rolling back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to await launch on its STS-125 mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis' targeted launch on Oct. 14 was delayed when a system that transfers science data from the orbiting observatory to Earth malfunctioned on Sept. 27. The new target launch date is under review. The space shuttle is mounted on a Mobile Launcher Platform and will be delivered to the Vehicle Assembly Building atop a crawler transporter. traveling slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The rollback is expected to take approximately six hours. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis / STS-129 Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-16

STS129-S-057 (16 Nov. 2009) --- From left, LeRoy Cain, NASA's deputy manager, Space Shuttle Program; Michael Coats, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center; and Bob Cabana, director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, watch the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis from the Operations Management Room, a glass partitioned area overlooking the main floor of Firing Room 4, in Kennedy's Launch Control Center. Liftoff of Atlantis from Launch Pad 39A on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station came at 2:28 p.m. (EST) Nov. 16, 2009.

Expedition Six Commander Ken Bowersox at pad before launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Expedition Six Commander Ken Bowersox pauses in front of Space Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A during a tour of Kennedy Space Center prior to his launch. The primary mission of STS-113 is bringing the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and returning the Expedition 5 crew to Earth. Another major objective of the mission is delivery of the Port 1 (P1) Integrated Truss Assembly, which will be attached to the port side of the S0 truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install and activate the truss and its associated equipment. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-113 is scheduled for Nov. 11 between midnight and 4 a.m. EST.

KSC-06pd1337

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Two bird detection radars have been set up near Launch Pad 39B to get ready for the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-08pd1113

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the rotating service structure, at left, at Launch Pad 39A has been rolled back for the delivery of space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, for final prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd1101

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a crawler transporter moves space shuttle Discovery, secured atop a mobile launch platform, along the crawlerway from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A to prepare for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd1102

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery, secured atop a mobile launch platform, is reflected in water beside the crawlerway as it is moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A to prepare for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-00padig059

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-31

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour and the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) start backing through the gate to Launch Pad 39B after a cracked cleat was discovered on the crawler-transporter. Workers near the pad (behind the crawler track) look at the cleats. The vehicle, which moves the MLP and Shuttle at about 1 mph, has a leveling system designed to keep the top of the Space Shuttle vertical while negotiating the 5 percent grade leading to the top of the pad. When the Shuttle-MLP are back on level ground, the crawler tracks will be inspected and the broken cleat repaired. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections

KSC00padig059

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-31

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour and the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) start backing through the gate to Launch Pad 39B after a cracked cleat was discovered on the crawler-transporter. Workers near the pad (behind the crawler track) look at the cleats. The vehicle, which moves the MLP and Shuttle at about 1 mph, has a leveling system designed to keep the top of the Space Shuttle vertical while negotiating the 5 percent grade leading to the top of the pad. When the Shuttle-MLP are back on level ground, the crawler tracks will be inspected and the broken cleat repaired. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections

KSC-2009-3127

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This photo taken from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida shows one of two lightning strikes that occurred on May 11 around 11 p.m. within a third of a mile of space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B. Engineers and safety personnel evaluated data and performed a walkdown of the pad and determined there is no damage to the vehicle or the pad. The images are from Kennedy's Operational Television cameras which can be used to triangulate the location of lightning strikes. Other detection systems include the Cloud-To-Ground Lightning Surveillance System, Strikenet/National Lightning Detection Network, Lightning Induced Voltage Instrumentation System and the Catenary Wire Lightning Instrumentation System. Endeavour is standing by on the pad, prepared for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2011-6159

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the water tower (right) which supported the space shuttle's water deluge system still stands on Launch Pad 39B after the pad's deconstruction. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-04PD-1063

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC-04PD-1064

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC-04PD-1062

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC-04pd1063

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-05-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC-04pd1065

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-05-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC-04pd1064

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-05-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC-04pd1062

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-05-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC00pp1624

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-31

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour inches its way to Launch Pad 39B via the crawlerway that leads from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Shuttle is on the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) which is atop the crawler-transporter, moving on four double-tracked crawlers. The maximum speed of the loaded transporter is 1 mph. To the left and right of the Space Shuttle can be seen both launch pads, 39B and 39A respectively. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections

KSC-00pp1624

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-31

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour inches its way to Launch Pad 39B via the crawlerway that leads from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Shuttle is on the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) which is atop the crawler-transporter, moving on four double-tracked crawlers. The maximum speed of the loaded transporter is 1 mph. To the left and right of the Space Shuttle can be seen both launch pads, 39B and 39A respectively. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections

KSC-05PD-1177

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. At NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Space Shuttle Discovery, resting on the Mobile Launcher Platform, rolls into high bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The Shuttle is being rolled back from Launch Pad 39B. It will be demated from its External Tank and lifted into the transfer aisle. On or about June 7, Discovery will be attached to its new tank and Solid Rocket Boosters, which are already in the VAB. Only the 15th rollback in Space Shuttle Program history, the 4.2- mile journey allows additional modifications to be made to the External Tank prior to a safe Return to Flight. Discovery is expected to be rolled back to the launch pad in mid-June for Return to Flight mission STS-114. The launch window extends from July 13 to July 31. [Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews

KSC-08pd0347

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A water truck (at right) creates a ghostlike image against the black sky as it sprays the dust on the dry crawlerway in front of space shuttle Endeavour (at left). The shuttle is rolling out to Launch Pad 39A for the STS-123 mission. The journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:24 p.m. on Feb. 17, approximately 30 minutes before it's scheduled start time due to favorable weather conditions. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:45 a.m. Monday and was hard down at 6:22 a.m. On the mission, Endeavour and its crew will deliver the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre. Launch is targeted for March 11. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

STS-111/Endeavour/ISS UF2 Pre-Launch Activities: Launch with Playbacks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This video of the preflight preparations for and launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-111 begins with a view of Endeavour on the launch pad. Additional launch pad views leading up to liftoff are interspersed with footage from the Firing Room at Kennedy Space Center, the crew's prelaunch activities, and inspection of the crew members in the White Room before boarding Endeavour. The crew is introduced by a narrator during the preflight banquet and suiting up, and a later clip shows them departing to the launch site. The crew consists of Commander Kenneth Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart, Mission Specialists Philippe Perrin and Franklin Chang-Diaz, and the Expedition 5 crew of the International Space Station (ISS) (Commander Valery Korzun and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitsun and Sergei Treschev). The nozzles on Endeavour's Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) are swiveled before liftoff, and the launch is shown past the separation of the solid rocket boosters. After a brief clip from the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center, the following launch replays are shown: Beach Tracker, VAB, Pad A, Tower 1, UCS-15, Grandstand, Cocoa Beach DOAMS, Playalinda DOAMS, UCS-23, and OTV-070.

KSC-2009-3797

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The slings from a large crane are being attached to the orbiter access arm, which ends in the White Room, that is part of the fixed service structure, or FSS, on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The White Room provided entry into space shuttles that were on the pad. The arm is being removed from the FSS for the pad's conversion as launch site for the Constellation Program's Ares I-X. The launch of the Ares I-X flight test is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3800

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The slings from a large crane are in place on the orbiter access arm, which ends in the White Room, that is part of the fixed service structure, or FSS, on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The White Room provided entry into space shuttles that were on the pad. The arm is being removed from the FSS for the pad's conversion as launch site for the Constellation Program's Ares I-X. The launch of the Ares I-X flight test is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3799

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The slings from a large crane are in place on the orbiter access arm, which ends in the White Room, that is part of the fixed service structure, or FSS, on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The White Room provided entry into space shuttles that were on the pad. The arm is being removed from the FSS for the pad's conversion as launch site for the Constellation Program's Ares I-X. The launch of the Ares I-X flight test is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3801

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The slings from a large crane swing the detached orbiter access arm, which ends in the White Room, away from the fixed service structure, or FSS, on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The White Room provided entry into space shuttles that were on the pad. The arm is being removed from the FSS for the pad's conversion as launch site for the Constellation Program's Ares I-X. The launch of the Ares I-X flight test is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-3798

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The slings from a large crane are being attached to the orbiter access arm, which ends in the White Room, that is part of the fixed service structure, or FSS, on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The White Room provided entry into space shuttles that were on the pad. The arm is being removed from the FSS for the pad's conversion as launch site for the Constellation Program's Ares I-X. The launch of the Ares I-X flight test is targeted for August 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Payload Bay Canister being transported to Pad 39A for a fit chec

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-01-22

This payload canister is being transported to Launch Pad 39A for a "fit check." At a later date, the canister will be used to transport to the pad the S3/S4 solar arrays that are the payload for mission STS-117. The mission will launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis for the 21st flight to the International Space Station, and the crew of six will continue the construction of station with the installation of the arrays. The launch of Atlantis is targeted for March 16.

KSC-99pp0549

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- United Space Alliance technician Don Pataky prepares to enter a tented area around the external tank of Space Shuttle Discovery in order to repair hail-inflicted damage in the foam insulation. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assemby Building for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad late this week for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0540

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Hail-inflicted divots in the foam insulation are identified by number on the top of Space Shuttle Discovery's external tank. About 150 divots were caused by hail during recent storms. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assemby Building for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad as early as May 20 for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0552

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Standing inside a protective tent around the external tank of Space Shuttle Discovery in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), United Space Alliance technician Don Pataky repairs divots caused by hail storms. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the VAB for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad late this week for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0553

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), United Space Alliance technician Robert Williams sands the repaired areas near the top of Space Shuttle Discovery's external tank. Repairs were required for damage caused by hail during recent storms. Because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad, the Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the VAB. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad late this week for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

STS-135 Atlantis Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-07

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden speaks to visitors at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Banana Creek viewing site prior to going to the Launch Control Center (LCC) for the planned launch of the space shuttle Atlantis from pad 39A on Friday, July 8, 2011, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The launch of Atlantis, STS-135, is the final flight of the shuttle program, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

KSC-05PD-0605

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. From inside the viewing room of the Launch Control Center, KSC employees watch Space Shuttle Discovery as it creeps along the crawlerway toward the horizon, and Launch Pad 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center. First motion of the Shuttle out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) was at 2:04 p.m. EDT. The Mobile Launcher Platform is moved by the Crawler-Transporter underneath. The Crawler is 20 feet high, 131 feet long and 114 feet wide. It moves on eight tracks, each containing 57 shoes, or cleats, weighing one ton each. Loaded with the Space Shuttle, the Crawler can move at a maximum speed of approximately 1 mile an hour. A leveling system in the Crawler keeps the Shuttle vertical while negotiating the 5 percent grade leading to the top of the launch pad. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS-114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-person crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station. Discovery was moved on March 29 from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the VAB and attached to its propulsion elements, a redesigned ET and twin SRBs.

Liftoff of STS-67 Space Shuttle Endeavour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Carrying a crew of seven and a complement of astronomic experiments, the Space Shuttle Endeavour embarks on NASA's longest Shuttle flight to date. Endeavour's liftoff from Launch Pad 39A occurred at 1:38:13 a.m. (EST), March 2, 1995.

Liftoff of STS-67 Space Shuttle Endeavour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Carrying a crew of seven and a compliment of astronomic experiments, the Space Shuttle Endeavour embarks on NASA's longest Shuttle flight to date. Endeavour's liftoff from Launch Pad 39A occurred at 1:38:13 a.m. (EST), March 2, 1995.

KSC-2009-5560

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-129 Commander Charles O. Hobaugh prepares to drive an M113 armored personnel carrier. The M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency egress from the vicinity of the pad is needed. The crew members of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission are at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Launch of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 16. For information on the STS-129 mission objectives and crew, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5557

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-129 Mission Specialist Mike Foreman prepares to practice driving an M113 armored personnel carrier. The M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency egress from the vicinity of the pad is needed. The crew members of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission are at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. Launch of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 16. For information on the STS-129 mission objectives and crew, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd1990

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-07-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. --In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, STS-118 Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio is eager to enter Space Shuttle Endeavour for a simulated launch countdown, the culmination of terminal countdown demonstration test activities. The White Room is situated at the end of the orbiter access arm and provides entry into the orbiter. TCDT activities also include M-113 training, payload familiarization and emergency egress training at the pad. The mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour will carry a payload including the S5 truss, a SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. STS-118 is targeted for launch on Aug. 7. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

STS-80 Columbia, OV 102, liftoff from KSC Launch Pad 39B

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-11-19

STS080-S-007 (19 Nov. 1996) --- One of the nearest remote camera stations to Launch Pad B captured this profile image of space shuttle Columbia's liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Complex 39 at 2:55:47 p.m. (EST), November 19, 1996. Onboard are astronauts Kenneth D. Cockrell, mission commander; Kent V. Rominger, pilot; along with Story Musgrave, Tamara E. Jernigan and Thomas D. Jones, all mission specialists. The two primary payloads for STS-80 stowed in Columbia?s cargo bay for later deployment and testing are the Wake Shield Facility (WSF-3) and the Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ORFEUS) with its associated Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS).

Corrosion Performance of Stainless Steels in a Simulated Launch Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, Luz Marina; Vinje, Rubiela D.; MacDowell, Louis

2004-01-01

At the Kennedy Space Center, NASA relies on stainless steel (SS) tubing to supply the gases and fluids required to launch the Space Shuttle. 300 series SS tubing has been used for decades but the highly corrosive environment at the launch pad has proven to be detrimental to these alloys. An upgrade with higher alloy content materials has become necessary in order to provide a safer and long lasting launch facility. In the effort to find the most suitable material to replace the existing AISI 304L SS ([iNS S30403) and AISI 316L SS (UNS S31603) shuttle tubing, a study involving atmospheric exposure at the corrosion test site near the launch pads and electrochemical measurements is being conducted. This paper presents the results of an investigation in which stainless steels of the 300 series, 304L, 316L, and AISI 317L SS (UNS S31703) as well as highly alloyed stainless steels 254-SMO (UNS S32154), AL-6XN (N08367) and AL29-4C ([iNS S44735) were evaluated using direct current (DC) electrochemical techniques under conditions designed to simulate those found at the Space Shuttle Launch pad. The electrochemical results were compared to the atmospheric exposure data and evaluated for their ability to predict the long-term corrosion performance of the alloys.

KSC-2010-4450B

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a printable version of space shuttle Atlantis' orbiter tribute, or OV-104, which hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the lower-left corner, it features Atlantis soaring above Earth and threaded through the design are the mission patches for each of Atlantis’ flights. Atlantis' accomplishments include seven missions to the Russian space station Mir and several assembly, construction and resupply missions to the International Space Station. Atlantis also flew the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission on STS-125. In the tribute, the planet Venus represents the Magellan probe being deployed during STS-30, and Jupiter represents the Galileo probe being deployed during STS-34. The inset photos illustrate various aspects of shuttle processing as well as significant achievements, such as the glass cockpit and the first shuttle docking with Mir during STS-71. The inset photo in the upper-left corner shows a rainbow over Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A and shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Endeavour was the assigned vehicle had Atlantis’ STS-125 mission needed rescue, and this was the last time both launch pads were occupied at the same time. The stars in the background represent the many people who have worked with Atlantis and their contributions to the vehicle’s success. Graphic design credit: NASA/Amy Lombardo. NASA publication number: SP-2010-08-161-KSC

KSC-2010-4450

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This orbiter tribute of space shuttle Atlantis, or OV-104, hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the lower-left corner, it features Atlantis soaring above Earth and threaded through the design are the mission patches for each of Atlantis’ flights. Atlantis' accomplishments include seven missions to the Russian space station Mir and several assembly, construction and resupply missions to the International Space Station. Atlantis also flew the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission on STS-125. In the tribute, the planet Venus represents the Magellan probe being deployed during STS-30, and Jupiter represents the Galileo probe being deployed during STS-34. The inset photos illustrate various aspects of shuttle processing as well as significant achievements, such as the glass cockpit and the first shuttle docking with Mir during STS-71. The inset photo in the upper-left corner shows a rainbow over Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A and shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Endeavour was the assigned vehicle had Atlantis’ STS-125 mission needed rescue, and this was the last time both launch pads were occupied at the same time. The stars in the background represent the many people who have worked with Atlantis and their contributions to the vehicle’s success. Graphic design credit: NASA/Amy Lombardo

KSC-2010-4450A

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a version of space shuttle Atlantis' orbiter tribute, or OV-104, which hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the lower-left corner, it features Atlantis soaring above Earth and threaded through the design are the mission patches for each of Atlantis’ flights. Atlantis' accomplishments include seven missions to the Russian space station Mir and several assembly, construction and resupply missions to the International Space Station. Atlantis also flew the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission on STS-125. In the tribute, the planet Venus represents the Magellan probe being deployed during STS-30, and Jupiter represents the Galileo probe being deployed during STS-34. The inset photos illustrate various aspects of shuttle processing as well as significant achievements, such as the glass cockpit and the first shuttle docking with Mir during STS-71. The inset photo in the upper-left corner shows a rainbow over Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A and shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Endeavour was the assigned vehicle had Atlantis’ STS-125 mission needed rescue, and this was the last time both launch pads were occupied at the same time. The stars in the background represent the many people who have worked with Atlantis and their contributions to the vehicle’s success. Graphic design credit: NASA/Amy Lombardo. NASA publication number: SP-2010-08-161-KSC

STS-106 Crew Activity Report/Flight Day 1 Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

On this first day of the STS-106 Atlantis mission, the flight crew, Commander Terrence W. Wilcutt, Pilot Scott D. Altman, and Mission Specialists Daniel C. Burbank, Edward T. Lu, Richard A. Mastracchio, Yuri Ivanovich Malenchenko, and Boris V. Morukov are seen performing pre-launch activities. They are shown sitting around the breakfast table with the traditional cake, suiting-up, and riding out to the launch pad. The final inspection team is seen as they conduct their final check of the space shuttle on the launch complex. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew is readied in the 'white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters.

Lightning Threat Analysis for the Space Shuttle Launch Pad and the Payload Changeout Room Using Finite Difference Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collier, Richard S.

1997-01-01

This report describes finite difference computer calculations for the Space Shuttle Launch Pad which predict lightning induced electric currents and electric and magnetic fields caused by a lightning strike to the Lightning Protection System caternary wire. Description of possible lightning threats to Shuttle Payload components together with specifications for protection of these components, result from the calculation of lightning induced electric and magnetic fields inside and outside the during a lightning event. These fields also induce currents and voltages on cables and circuits which may be connected to, or a part of, shuttle payload components. These currents and voltages are also calculated. These threat levels are intended as a guide for designers of payload equipment to specify any shielding and/or lightning protection mitigation which may be required for payload components which are in the process of preparation or being transferred into the Shuttle Orbiter.

KSC-2010-5488

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate space shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A following the retraction of the rotating service structure. The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits lift off on the pad. Launch of Discovery on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is set for 3:29 p.m. on Nov. 4. During the 11-day mission, Discovery and its six crew members will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, to the orbiting laboratory. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

STS-98 Atlantis rolls to the VAB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis (right) inches its way at 1 mph atop the crawler-transporter back to the Vehicle Assembly Building from Launch Pad 39A (upper left). A panorama view from the top of the VAB shows the proximity of the pad to the Atlantic Ocean (background) plus the 3.4-mile crawlerway leading from the pad to the VAB. The water areas on both sides of the crawlerway are part of the Banana River. In the VAB workers will conduct inspections, make continuity checks and conduct X-ray analysis on the 36 solid rocket booster cables located inside each booster'''s external system tunnel. An extensive evaluation of NASA'''s SRB cable inventory revealed conductor damage in four (of about 200) cables on the shelf. Shuttle managers decided to prove the integrity of the system tunnel cables already on Atlantis before launching. The launch has been rescheduled no earlier than Feb. 6.

STS-99 RSS rollback from Space Shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Just after sundown, the Rotating Service Structure is rolled back to reveal Space Shuttle Endeavour, mated with its solid rocket boosters (left and right) and external tank (center), poised for launch on mission STS-99. Known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), STS-99 is scheduled to lift off 12:47 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39A. The SRTM will chart a new course to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface, using two antennae and a 200-foot-long section of space station-derived mast protruding from the payload bay. The result of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. Besides contributing to the production of better maps, these measurements could lead to improved water drainage modeling, more realistic flight simulators, better locations for cell phone towers, and enhanced navigation safety. The mission is expected to last about 11days, with Endeavour landing at KSC Friday, Feb. 11, at 4:55 p.m. EST.

Expedition Six crew member Nikolai Budarin at pad before launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Expedition Six crew member Nikolai Budarin, of the Russian Space Agency, pauses in front of Space Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A during a tour of Kennedy Space Center prior to his launch. The primary mission of STS-113 is bringing the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and returning the Expedition 5 crew to Earth. Another major objective of the mission is delivery of the Port 1 (P1) Integrated Truss Assembly, which will be attached to the port side of the S0 truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install and activate the truss and its associated equipment. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-113 is scheduled for Nov. 11 between midnight and 4 a.m. EST.

KSC-08pd1112

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, tread marks from the shoes on the crawler-transporter are visible along the crawlerway leading up to the hardstand on Launch Pad 39A. Space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, has just arrived for final prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-05PD-0625

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Technicians photograph the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery on its journey to Launch Pad 39B to support the Baseline Configuration Imaging (BCI) project. BCI will be collected on each orbiter prior to every mission, beginning with STS-114. The photos will be compiled into a database available for comparison, if the need arises, to photos taken on orbit from the Shuttle's Orbital Boom Sensor System (OBSS). The 50-foot-long OBSS attaches to the Remote Manipulator System, or Shuttle robotic arm, and is one of the new safety measures for Return to Flight, equipping the orbiter with cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttles Thermal Protection System while in space. Discovery was hard down on the pad at 1:16 a.m. EDT April 7. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS-114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-member crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

KSC-05PD-0624

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Technicians photograph the exterior of Space Shuttle Discovery on its journey to Launch Pad 39B to support the Baseline Configuration Imaging (BCI) project. BCI will be collected on each orbiter prior to every mission, beginning with STS-114. The photos will be compiled into a database available for comparison, if the need arises, to photos taken on orbit from the Shuttle's Orbital Boom Sensor System (OBSS). The 50-foot-long OBSS attaches to the Remote Manipulator System, or Shuttle robotic arm, and is one of the new safety measures for Return to Flight, equipping the orbiter with cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttles Thermal Protection System while in space. Discovery was hard down on the pad at 1:16 a.m. EDT April 7. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS-114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-member crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

STS-134 Flight Controllers on Console - Launch.

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-16

JSC2011-E-044228 (16 May 2011) --- Flight director Tony Ceccacci is pictured at his console in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 launch. Liftoff was at 8:56 a.m. (EDT) on May 16, 2011, from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA

STS-122 flight controllers in WFCR during launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-07

JSC2008-E-010344 (7 Feb. 2008) --- Flight directors Norm Knight (left), Bryan Lunney and Richard Jones monitor data at their consoles in the space shuttle flight control room of Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center (MCC) during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of Space Shuttle Atlantis' scheduled STS-122 launch. Liftoff occurred at 2:45 p.m. (EST) on Feb. 7, 2008 from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

KSC-07pd0393

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-15

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Pelicans and seagulls witness the slow rollout of Space Shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39A. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:19 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip to the pad along the crawlerway will take about 6 hours. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

STS-79 CREW COMMANDER WILLIAM F. READDY AT PAD 39A FOR TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

With the Space Shuttle Atlantis as a backdrop, STS-79 Commander William F. Readdy answers questions posed by reporters at Launch Pad 39A. Readdy and the other five members of the STS-79 crew, Pilot Terrence W. Wilcutt and Mission Specialists Jay Apt, Carl E. Walz, Tom Akers, and John E. Blaha, are at KSC for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for the launch targeted for mid-September. STS-79 will be the fourth Shuttle-Mir docking and the first flight of the SPACEHAB Double Module.

KSC-05PD-1575

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. The gate is open to Launch Pad 39B where Space Shuttle Discovery remains on the pad after scrub of Return to Flight mission STS-114. The July 13 mission was scrubbed when a low-level fuel cut-off sensor for the liquid hydrogen tank inside the External Tank failed a routine prelaunch check during the countdown July 13, causing mission managers to scrub Discovery's first launch attempt. The sensor protects the Shuttle's main engines by triggering their shutdown in the event fuel runs unexpectedly low. The sensor is one of four inside the liquid hydrogen section of the External Tank (ET).

View of the Endeavour moving towards it launch pad

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-06-06

STS077-S-044 (16 April 1996) --- The Space Shuttle Endeavour atop the Mobile Launcher Platform and Crawler-Transporter (MLP/CT) slowly lumbers past a tree alongside the crawlerway, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B will take about five to six hours to complete. Once hard down at the pad, preparations will continue to ready Endeavour for its upcoming spaceflight on STS-77.

KSC-02pd1890

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Columbia, atop the Mobile Launcher Platform, approaches the top of Launch Pad 39A where it will undergo preparations for launch. The STS-107 research mission comprises experiments ranging from material sciences to life sciences, plus the Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR) that incorporates eight high priority secondary attached shuttle experiments. Mission STS-107 is scheduled to launch Jan. 16, 2003.

Space Shuttle Familiarization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mellett, Kevin

2006-01-01

This slide presentation visualizes the NASA space center and research facility sites, as well as the geography, launching sites, launching pads, rocket launching, pre-flight activities, and space shuttle ground operations located at NASA Kennedy Space Center. Additionally, highlights the international involvement behind the International Space Station and the space station mobile servicing system. Extraterrestrial landings, surface habitats and habitation systems, outposts, extravehicular activity, and spacecraft rendezvous with the Earth return vehicle are also covered.

STS-90 Mission Highlights Resource Tape

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The flight crew of the STS-90 mission, Cmdr. Richard A. Searfoss, Pilot Scott D. Altman, and Mission Specialists Richard M. Linnehan, Dafydd Rhys Williams and Kathryn P. Hire, and Payload Specialists Jay C. Buckey and James A. Pawelczyk can be seen performing pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew is readied in the 'white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters. In the second part of the video the crew turn their attention to a variety of experiments inside the Shuttle's cabin. These experiments include the processing of several samples of materials in the glovebox facility in Shuttle's middeck; the experiment called PEP, which involves heating samples and then recording the mixture as it resolidifies; and the study of plant growth in space.

KSC-06pd2078

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Pilot Christopher Ferguson dons his launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Ferguson is making his first shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd2079

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Commander Brent Jett dons his launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Jett is making his fourth shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd2076

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner dons his launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Tanner is making his fourth shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd2252

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-08-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Emerging from the billows of smoke below, Space Shuttle Endeavour hurtles into the sky on mission STS-118. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on time at 6:36 p.m. EDT. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on time at 6:36 p.m. EDT. The mission is the 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station. It will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, and other payloads such as the SPACEHAB module and the external stowage platform 3. The 11-day mission may be extended to as many as 14 depending on the test of the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System that will allow the docked shuttle to draw electrical power from the station and extend its visits to the orbiting lab. Photo courtesy of Nikon/Scott Andrews

KSC-06pd0857

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload canister holding Space Shuttle Discovery's payloads nears the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure. The red umbilical lines are still attached. The payload changeout room provides an environmentally clean or "white room" condition in which to receive a payload transferred from a protective payload canister. After the shuttle arrives at the pad, the rotating service structure will close around it and the payloads, which include the multi-purpose logistics module and integrated cargo carrier, will then be transferred from the changeout room into Discovery's payload bay. Discovery's launch to the International Space Station on mission STS-121 is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, crew members will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd0858

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload canister holding Space Shuttle Discovery's payloads nears the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure. The red umbilical lines are still attached. The payload changeout room provides an environmentally clean or "white room" condition in which to receive a payload transferred from a protective payload canister. After the shuttle arrives at the pad, the rotating service structure will close around it and the payloads, which include the multi-purpose logistics module and integrated cargo carrier, will then be transferred from the changeout room into Discovery's payload bay. Discovery's launch to the International Space Station on mission STS-121 is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, crew members will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd0856

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload canister holding Space Shuttle Discovery's payloads is lifted toward the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure. The red umbilical lines are still attached. The payload changeout room provides an environmentally clean or "white room" condition in which to receive a payload transferred from a protective payload canister. After the shuttle arrives at the pad, the rotating service structure will close around it and the payloads, which include the multi-purpose logistics module and integrated cargo carrier, will then be transferred from the changeout room into Discovery's payload bay. Discovery's launch to the International Space Station on mission STS-121 is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. During the 12-day mission, crew members will test new hardware and techniques to improve shuttle safety. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-91 Mission Specialist Kavandi visits Pad 39A before launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

STS-91 Mission Specialist Janet Kavandi, Ph.D., visits Launch Pad 39A from which she is scheduled to be launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on June 2 around 6:10 p.m. EDT. In her pocket are flowers intended as gifts for her two children whom she will be seeing shortly. STS-91 will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Wendy B. Lawrence; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir.

KSC-02pd0390

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-04-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis is revealed as the Rotating Service Structure rolls back into launch position. The RSS provides protected access to the orbiter for changeout and servicing of payloads at the pad. The structure has access platforms at five levels to provide access to the payload bay. The Shuttle rests on the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP), which straddles the flame trench below. The flame trench is part of the Flame Deflector System that insulates pad structures from the intense heat of the launch. Above the golden external tank is the vent hood (known as the "beanie cap") at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off. The hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the Space Shuttle vehicle. Mission STS-110 is scheduled to launch April 4 on its 11-day mission to the International Space Station

KSC-98pc1238

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Looking eastward, the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in the Launch Complex 39 area can be seen with its new coat of paint, along with newly painted American flag and NASA logo. The improved look was finished in time to honor NASA's 40th anniversary on Oct. 1. In order to do the job, workers were suspended on platforms from the top of the 525-foot-high VAB. One of the world's largest buildings by volume, the VAB is the last stop for the Shuttle before rollout to the launch pad. Integration and stacking of the complete Space Shuttle vehicle (orbiter, two solid rocket boosters and the external tank) takes place in High Bays 1 or 3. Stretching from the side of the VAB, on the right, is the crawlerway, used to transport the Space Shuttle to the launch pad. Beyond the VAB is Banana Creek

KSC-06pd1455

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-30

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, a worker hands off a food container to someone inside Space Shuttle Discovery to store it for mission STS-121. The White Room, which extends from the fixed service structure, provides access into the orbiter on the pad. Astronauts are supplied with three balanced meals, plus snacks. Foods flown on space missions are researched and developed at the Space Food Systems Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, which is staffed by food scientists, dietitians and engineers. Each astronaut’s food stored aboard the space shuttle is identified by a colored dot affixed to each package. Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is scheduled for July 1. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd1453

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-30

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, workers unload food containers to be stored in Space Shuttle Discovery for mission STS-121. The White Room, which extends from the fixed service structure, provides access into the orbiter on the pad. Astronauts are supplied with three balanced meals, plus snacks. Foods flown on space missions are researched and developed at the Space Food Systems Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, which is staffed by food scientists, dietitians and engineers. Each astronaut’s food stored aboard the space shuttle is identified by a colored dot affixed to each package. Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is scheduled for July 1. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd1454

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-30

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, a worker carries a food container toward the hatch of Space Shuttle Discovery to be stored for mission STS-121. The White Room, which extends from the fixed service structure, provides access into the orbiter on the pad. Astronauts are supplied with three balanced meals, plus snacks. Foods flown on space missions are researched and developed at the Space Food Systems Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, which is staffed by food scientists, dietitians and engineers. Each astronaut’s food stored aboard the space shuttle is identified by a colored dot affixed to each package. Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is scheduled for July 1. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-02pd1894

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Columbia sits on Launch Pad 39A, atop the Mobile Launcher Platform. The STS-107 research mission comprises experiments ranging from material sciences to life sciences, plus the Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR) that incorporates eight high priority secondary attached shuttle experiments. Mission STS-107 is scheduled to launch Jan. 16, 2003.

KSC-2010-4450D

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a version of space shuttle Atlantis' orbiter tribute, or OV-104, which hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In 2011, the tribute was updated to reflect the addition of one more Atlantis flight -- STS-135 -- which will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. In the lower-left corner, it features Atlantis soaring above Earth and threaded through the design are the mission patches for each of Atlantis’ flights. Atlantis' accomplishments include seven missions to the Russian space station Mir and several assembly, construction and resupply missions to the International Space Station. Atlantis also flew the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission on STS-125. In the tribute, the planet Venus represents the Magellan probe being deployed during STS-30, and Jupiter represents the Galileo probe being deployed during STS-34. The inset photos illustrate various aspects of shuttle processing as well as significant achievements, such as the glass cockpit and the first shuttle docking with Mir during STS-71. The inset photo in the upper-left corner shows a rainbow over Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A and shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Endeavour was the assigned vehicle had Atlantis’ STS-125 mission needed rescue, and this was the last time both launch pads were occupied at the same time. The stars in the background represent the many people who have worked with Atlantis and their contributions to the vehicle’s success. Graphic design credit: NASA/Amy Lombardo. NASA publication number: SP-2010-08-161-KSC

KSC-2010-4450E

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is a printable version of space shuttle Atlantis' orbiter tribute, or OV-104, which hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In 2011, the tribute was updated to reflect the addition of one more flight -- STS-135 -- which will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. In the lower-left corner, it features Atlantis soaring above Earth and threaded through the design are the mission patches for each of Atlantis’ flights. Atlantis' accomplishments include seven missions to the Russian space station Mir and several assembly, construction and resupply missions to the International Space Station. Atlantis also flew the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission on STS-125. In the tribute, the planet Venus represents the Magellan probe being deployed during STS-30, and Jupiter represents the Galileo probe being deployed during STS-34. The inset photos illustrate various aspects of shuttle processing as well as significant achievements, such as the glass cockpit and the first shuttle docking with Mir during STS-71. The inset photo in the upper-left corner shows a rainbow over Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A and shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Endeavour was the assigned vehicle had Atlantis’ STS-125 mission needed rescue, and this was the last time both launch pads were occupied at the same time. The stars in the background represent the many people who have worked with Atlantis and their contributions to the vehicle’s success. Graphic design credit: NASA/Amy Lombardo. NASA publication number: SP-2010-08-161-KSC

KSC-2010-4450C

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-07-29

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This orbiter tribute of space shuttle Atlantis, or OV-104, hangs in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In 2011, the tribute was updated to reflect the addition of one more Atlantis flight -- STS-135 -- which will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. In the lower-left corner, it features Atlantis soaring above Earth and threaded through the design are the mission patches for each of Atlantis’ flights. Atlantis' accomplishments include seven missions to the Russian space station Mir and several assembly, construction and resupply missions to the International Space Station. Atlantis also flew the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission on STS-125. In the tribute, the planet Venus represents the Magellan probe being deployed during STS-30, and Jupiter represents the Galileo probe being deployed during STS-34. The inset photos illustrate various aspects of shuttle processing as well as significant achievements, such as the glass cockpit and the first shuttle docking with Mir during STS-71. The inset photo in the upper-left corner shows a rainbow over Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A and shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy. Endeavour was the assigned vehicle had Atlantis’ STS-125 mission needed rescue, and this was the last time both launch pads were occupied at the same time. The stars in the background represent the many people who have worked with Atlantis and their contributions to the vehicle’s success. Graphic design credit: NASA/Amy Lombardo. NASA publication number: SP-2010-08-161-KSC

KSC-07pd3237

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload canister atop its transporter rolls toward Launch Pad 39A. The canister contains the Columbus Lab module and integrated cargo carrier-lite payloads for space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122. They will be transferred into the payload changeout room on the pad. Atlantis is targeted to launch on Dec. 6. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-04pd1066

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-05-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- For the fourth time in Space Shuttle Program history, 350,000 gallons of water are released on a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) at Launch Pad 39A during a water sound suppression test. Because of the unusual event, media and workers watch from nearby vantage points on the Fixed Service Structure (left). This test is being conducted following the replacement of the six main system valves, which had been in place since the beginning of the Shuttle Program and had reached the end of their service life. Also, the hydraulic portion of the valve actuators has been redesigned and simplified to reduce maintenance costs. The sound suppression water system is installed on the launch pads to protect the orbiter and its payloads from damage by acoustical energy reflected from the MLP during launch. The system includes an elevated water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The tank is 290 feet high and stands on the northeast side of the Pad. The water is released for launch just before the ignition of the orbiter's three main engines and twin solid rocket boosters, and flows through parallel 7-foot-diameter pipes to the Pad area.

KSC-08pd3270

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Despite the incline, space shuttle Atlantis remains on a level plane as it rolls off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 6:48 a.m. EDT. The crawler-transporter underneath the mobile launcher platform maintains the level plane through a leveling system designed to keep the top of the space shuttle vehicle vertical. This system also provides the leveling operations required to negotiate the 5-percent ramp leading to the launch pads. Atlantis is rolling back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to await launch on its STS-125 mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis' targeted launch on Oct. 14 was delayed when a system that transfers science data from the orbiting observatory to Earth malfunctioned on Sept. 27. The new target launch date is under review. The space shuttle is mounted on a Mobile Launcher Platform and will be delivered to the Vehicle Assembly Building atop a crawler transporter. traveling slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The rollback is expected to take approximately six hours. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-93 crew heads out of O&C for ride to launch pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The STS-93 crew wave and smile at onlookers as they walk out of the Operations and Checkout Building for the third time enroute to Launch Pad 39-B and liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 and 22 launch attempts were scrubbed, the launch was again rescheduled for Friday, July 23, at 12:24 a.m. EDT. The target landing date is July 27, 1999, at 11:20 p.m. EDT. In their orange launch and entry suits, they are (starting at rear, left to right) Mission Specialists Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), and Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.); Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby; Mission Specialist Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.); and Commander Eileen M. Collins. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. Collins is the first woman to serve as commander of a Shuttle mission.

STS-93 crew cheers as they near the van for ride to launch pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The STS-93 crew wave and cheer as they head for the 'Astrovan' a third time to take them to Launch Pad 39-B and liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia. In their orange launch and entry suits, they are (starting at rear, left to right) Mission Specialists Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.), and Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.); Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby; and Commander Eileen M. Collins. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 and 22 launch attempts were scrubbed, the launch was again rescheduled for Friday, July 23, at 12:24 a.m. EDT. The target landing date is July 27 at 11:20 p.m. EDT. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. Collins is the first woman to serve as commander of a Shuttle mission.

STS-45 Atlantis, OV-104, lifts off from KSC Launch Complex (LC) Pad

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-03-24

STS-45 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, lifts off from a Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad at 8:13:40:048 am (Eastern Standard Time (EST)). Exhaust billows out the solid rocket boosters (SRBs) as OV-104 atop its external tank (ET) soars above the mobile launcher platform and is nearly clear of the fixed service structure (FSS) tower. The diamond shock effect produced by the space shuttle main engines (SSMEs) is visible. The glow of the SRB/SSME firings is reflected in a nearby waterway. An exhaust cloud covers the launch pad area.

KSC-2014-2615

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A crawler-transporter rolls toward Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Operations are underway to move Mobile Launcher Platform-2, or MLP-2, from the pad to a nearby park site in Launch Complex 39. The historic launch pad was the site from which numerous Apollo and space shuttle missions began and is beginning a new mission as a commercial launch site. NASA signed a property agreement with Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, of Hawthorne, California, on April 14 for use and occupancy of the seaside complex along Florida's central east coast. It will serve as a platform for SpaceX to support their commercial launch activities. For more information on Launch Pad 39A, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/167416main_LC39-08.pdf. For learn more about the crawler-transporter, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/pdf/167402main_crawlertransporters07.pdf. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-65 Columbia, OV-102, lifts off from KSC Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, atop its external tank (ET) rises above the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A after liftoff at 12:43 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). OV-102 starboard side and one of the two solid rocket boosters (SRBs) are visible in this launch view. The retracted rotating service structure (RSS) is nearly covered in the shuttle's exhaust at the left as OV-102 clears the fixed service structure (FSS) tower. The space shuttle main engines produce a diamond shock effect. Once in orbit, STS-65's six NASA astronauts and a Japanese Payload Specialist will begin two weeks of experimentation in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission.

STS-87 Commander Kregel holds the crew patch in front of Columbia's entry hatch at LC 39B during TCD

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

STS-87 Commander Kevin Kregel holds the crew patch in front of Columbia's entry hatch at Launch Pad 39B during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The crew of the STS-87 mission is scheduled for launch Nov. 19 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight providing the crew of each mission opportunities to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay.

KSC-2010-5741

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) of space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank has been repaired. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Dec. 17 at 8:51 p.m. EST. Until then, engineers will continue to analyze data from the GUCP and stringer crack repairs. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

KSC-2010-5742

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) of space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank has been repaired. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Dec. 17 at 8:51 p.m. EST. Until then, engineers will continue to analyze data from the GUCP and stringer crack repairs. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

KSC-08pd1108

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload for the STS-124 mission, secured in the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure, at left, awaits installation into the payload bay of space shuttle Discovery. Discovery's 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1562

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The faint sunrise sky over NASA's Kennedy Space Center casts the newly erected lightning towers on Launch Pad 39B in silhouette. They surround the fixed and rotating service structures at center that have served the Space Shuttle Program. The new lightning protection system is being built for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Each of the towers is 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Space Shuttle Project

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-10-15

On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.

Commissioning of a new helium pipeline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

At the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center, Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO , presents a plaque to Center Director Roy Bridges. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Others at the ceremony were Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch's worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad.

Commissioning of a new helium pipeline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS) presents an award of appreciation to H.T. Everett, KSC Propellants manager, at the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch's worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad. Others at the ceremony were Center Director Roy Bridges;); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS.

Commissioning of a new helium pipeline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Jerry Jorgensen welcomes the audience to the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center. Jorgensen, with Space Gateway Support (SGS), is the pipeline project manager. To the right is Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO. Others at the ceremony were Center Director Roy Bridges; Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch's worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad.

Commissioning of a new helium pipeline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Center Director Roy Bridges addresses the audience at the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center that will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile- long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch's worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad. Others at the ceremony were Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS.

STS-79 Commander William Readdy arrives at SLF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

STS-79 Commander William F. Readdy arrives at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility with five fellow astronauts, ready to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). The TCDT is a dress rehearsal for launch for the flight crew and launch team. Over the next several days, the astronauts will take part in training exercises at the launch pad that will culminate in a simulated launch countdown. The Space Shuttle Atlantis is being prepared for liftoff on STS-79 around September 12.

Woodpecker Preventative measures at Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Technicians at Launch Pad 39B take steps to prevent further damage from woodpeckers to the Space Shuttle Discovery, set to lift off July 13 on Mission STS-70. Installing balloons with scary eyes, such as these two near the external tank, are just one of the measures being taken to keep woodpeckers away since Discovery's second rollout to Pad B. Discovery had to be rolled back once to the Vehicle Assembly Building to repair woodpecker holes made in the insulation covering the external tank.

STS-132/ULF4 WFCR Flight Controllers on Console

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-14

JSC2010-E-080444 (14 May 2010) --- Flight director Richard Jones is pictured in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Atlantis? STS-132 launch. Liftoff was on time at 2:20 p.m. (EDT) on May 14, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-90 Day 01 Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

On this first day of the STS-90 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Richard A. Searfoss, Pilot Scott D. Altman, and Mission Specialists Richard M. Linnehan, Dafydd Rhys Williams and Kathryn P. Hire, and Payload Specialists Jay C. Buckey and James A. Pawelczyk, can be seen performing pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew is readied in the white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters. The shuttle's payload bay doors are then opened in anticipation of the 16-day scientific mission. The astronauts then are seen readying the Spacelab module for various experiments.

STS-84 Mission Highlights Resource Tape

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The STS-84 mission flight crew, Cmdr. Charles J. Precourt, Pilot Eileen M. Collions, Payload Cmdr. Jean-Francois Clervoy (ESA), Mission Specialists Edward T. Lu, Carlos I. Noriega, Elena V. Kondakova, and Jerry M. Linenger can be seen performing pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew can be seen being readied in the white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters. The rendezvous with the Mir Space Station, along with onboard activities, and landing are included. Also included are shuttle-to-ground transmission between the crew and Mission Control and various earthviews.

Workers begin removing PDU from STS-101 Atlantis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

United Space Alliance technicians at Launch Pad 39A look at the site of the power drive unit (PDU) for the rudder/speed brake on Shuttle Atlantis. From left are Mark Noel, Tod Biddle and Bob Wright. Shuttle managers decided to replace the faulty PDU, about the size of an office copy machine, at the launch pad. If successful, launch preparations will continue as planned, with liftoff targeted for April 24 at 4:15 p.m. on mission STS-101. The mission is the third assembly flight for the International Space Station, carrying logistics and supplies to the Space Station, plus the crew will be preparing the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. The crew will conduct one space walk to perform maintenance on the Space Station.

KSC-2011-4689

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Battalion Chief David Seymour provides supervision while space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 crew members participate in M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the launch pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. The STS-135 crew is at Kennedy to participate in a launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

A new Master Events Controller is prepared for installation in STS-99 Endeavour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Workers in a Quality trailer in the Launch Pad 39B Area unwrap a new Enhanced Main Events Controller (E-MEC) to be installed in Shuttle Endeavour. The original E-MEC in Endeavour became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown and mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace it. Each Shuttle carries two enhanced master events controllers (E-MECs), which provide relays for onboard flight computers to send signals to arm and fire pyrotechnics that separate the solid rockets and external tank during assent. The E-MECs are located in the orbiter's aft compartment and both are needed for the Shuttle to be cleared for flight. Currently Endeavour and Columbia are the only two orbiters with the E-MECs. Built by Rockwell's Satellite Space Electronics Division, Anaheim, Calif., each unit weighs 65 pounds and is approximately 20 inches long, 13 inches wide and 8 inches tall. Previously, three Shuttle flights have been scrubbed or delayed due to faulty MECs: STS-73, STS-49 and STS-41-D. Before workers can begin E-MEC replacement efforts at the launch pad, cryogenic reactants must be offloaded from the orbiter and Space Shuttle ordnance disconnected. The next scheduled date for launch of STS-99 is Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m. EST.

A new Master Events Controller is prepared for installation in STS-99 Endeavour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

A new Enhanced Main Events Controller (E-MEC) for Shuttle Endeavour sits on a table in a Quality trailer in the Launch Pad 39B area. The original E-MEC in Endeavour became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown and mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace it. Each Shuttle carries two enhanced master events controllers (E-MECs), which provide relays for onboard flight computers to send signals to arm and fire pyrotechnics that separate the solid rockets and external tank during assent. The E-MECs are located in the orbiter's aft compartment and both are needed for the Shuttle to be cleared for flight. Currently Endeavour and Columbia are the only two orbiters with the E-MECs. Built by Rockwell's Satellite Space Electronics Division, Anaheim, Calif., each unit weighs 65 pounds and is approximately 20 inches long, 13 inches wide and 8 inches tall. Previously, three Shuttle flights have been scrubbed or delayed due to faulty MECs: STS-73, STS-49 and STS-41-D. Before workers can begin E-MEC replacement efforts at the launch pad, cryogenic reactants must be offloaded from the orbiter and Space Shuttle ordnance disconnected. The next scheduled date for launch of STS-99 is Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m. EST.

KSC-05PD-0606

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. As Space Shuttle Discovery creeps along the crawlerway toward the horizon, and Launch Pad 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, media and workers in the foreground appear as ants. First motion of the Shuttle out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) was at 2:04 p.m. EDT. The Mobile Launcher Platform is moved by the Crawler-Transporter underneath. The Crawler is 20 feet high, 131 feet long and 114 feet wide. It moves on eight tracks, each containing 57 shoes, or cleats, weighing one ton each. Loaded with the Space Shuttle, the Crawler can move at a maximum speed of approximately 1 mile an hour. A leveling system in the Crawler keeps the Shuttle vertical while negotiating the 5 percent grade leading to the top of the launch pad. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission, STS- 114, is targeted for May 15 with a launch window that extends to June 3. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-person crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station. Discovery was moved on March 29 from the Orbiter Processing Facility to the VAB and attached to its propulsion elements, a redesigned ET and twin SRBs.

KSC-06pd1398

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-07-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak is happy to be making a third launch attempt on the mission. She is suiting up before heading to Launch Pad 39B. The July 2 launch attempt was scrubbed due to the presence of showers and thunderstorms within the surrounding area of the launch site. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd1394

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-07-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter, happy to be making a third launch attempt on mission STS-121, is suited up before heading to Launch Pad 39B. The July 2 launch attempt was scrubbed due to the presence of showers and thunderstorms within the surrounding area of the launch site. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd0840

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister passes NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Control Center on its way to Launch Pad 39B. Inside are the payloads for mission STS-121: the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, with supplies and equipment for the International Space Station; the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier; and the integrated cargo carrier, with the mobile transporter reel assembly and a spare pump module. The payload will be transferred from the canister to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay at the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-121 from Launch Pad 39B in a window that opens July 1 and extends to July 19. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd0845

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister passes NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Control Center on its way to Launch Pad 39B. Inside are the payloads for mission STS-121: the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, with supplies and equipment for the International Space Station; the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier; and the integrated cargo carrier, with the mobile transporter reel assembly and a spare pump module. The payload will be transferred from the canister to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay at the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-121 from Launch Pad 39B in a window that opens July 1 and extends to July 19. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-06pd0841

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister passes NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Control Center on its way to Launch Pad 39B. Inside are the payloads for mission STS-121: the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, with supplies and equipment for the International Space Station; the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier; and the integrated cargo carrier, with the mobile transporter reel assembly and a spare pump module. The payload will be transferred from the canister to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay at the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-121 from Launch Pad 39B in a window that opens July 1 and extends to July 19. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

The Expedition Three crew poses for photo at Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Expedition Three crew poses in front of Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A. From left are cosmonauts Mikhail Tyurin and Vladimir Nikolaevich Dezhurov and Commander Frank Culbertson. Along with the STS-105 crew, they are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress from the pad, a simulated launch countdown and familiarization with the payload. Mission STS-105 will be transporting the Expedition Three crew, several payloads and scientific experiments to the International Space Station aboard Discovery. The current Expedition Two crew members on the Station will return to Earth on Discovery. Launch of Discovery is scheduled no earlier than Aug. 9, 2001.

KSC-08pd1759

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Debris stretches along the perimeter of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It is residue from the damage that occurred during the May 31 launch of space shuttle Discovery. Repairs are expected to be completed in time for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope targeted for Oct. 8. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1754

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers test the stability of the wall of the flame trench on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center where damage occurred during the May 31 launch of space shuttle Discovery. Repairs are expected to be completed in time for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope targeted for Oct. 8. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-113 Space Shuttle Endeavour launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Water near Launch Pad 39A provides a mirror image of Space Shuttle Endeavour blazing a path into the night sky after launch on mission STS-113. Liftoff occurred ontime at 7:49:47 p.m. EST. The launch is the 19th for Endeavour, and the 112th flight in the Shuttle program. Mission STS-113 is the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying another structure for the Station, the P1 integrated truss. Also onboard are the Expedition 6 crew, who will replace Expedition 5. Endeavour is scheduled to land at KSC after an 11-day journey.

STS-91 Mission Highlights Resource Tape

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The crew STS-91 mission, Cmdr. Charles J. Precourt, Pilot Dominic L. Pudwill Gorie and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet L. Kavandi, and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin can be seen performing pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew is readied in the 'white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters. Once in orbit, there are various views of the Mir Space Station as the shuttle begins its approach and docks. After the docking the two crews open the entry hatch and greet each other. The astronauts and cosmonauts transfer supplies from the shuttle to Mir. The astronauts prepare for the reentry phase of their mission. The Shuttle separates from the Russian Space Station with a gentle push from springs in the docking mechanism that attaches it to the Space Station. The final view shows the crews' preparations for reentry and landing.

KSC-99pp0532

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Casting a giant shadow across the crawlerway, a crawler transporter slowly maneuvers Space Shuttle Discovery, with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, toward High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building to repair damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at Pad 39B due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0535

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A crawler transporter slowly maneuvers Space Shuttle Discovery, with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, into High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building to repair damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at Pad 39B due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0539

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) Mike Sestile, with United Space Alliance, draws circles around divots in the foam insulation on the top of the external tank of Space Shuttle Discovery. About 150 divots were caused by hail during recent storms. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the VAB for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad as early as May 20 for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0538

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), John Blue, with United Space Alliance, points to one of the divots in the foam insulation on the external tank of Space Shuttle Discovery. About 150 divots were caused by hail during recent storms. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the VAB for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad as early as May 20 for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0534

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At a juncture in the crawlerway, a crawler transporter slowly moves Space Shuttle Discovery, with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, toward High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building to repair damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at Pad 39B due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0533

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At a juncture in the crawlerway, a crawler transporter slowly moves Space Shuttle Discovery, with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, to High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building to repair damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at Pad 39B due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to be rolled back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0537

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) John Blue, with United Space Alliance, and Jorge Rivera, with NASA, look at the dings in the foam insulation on the external tank of Space Shuttle Discovery. About 150 dings were caused by hail during recent storms. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B to the VAB for repairs because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad as early as May 20 for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0565

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Discovery makes the climb to Launch Pad 39B aboard the mobile launcher platform and crawler transporter. The crawler is able to keep its cargo level during the move up the five percent grade, not varying from the vertical more than the diameter of a soccer ball. At right are the rotating and fixed service structures which will be used during prelaunch preparations at the pad. Earlier in the week, the Shuttle was rolled back to the VAB from the pad to repair hail damage on the external tank's foam insulation. Mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program, is scheduled for liftoff May 27 at 6:48 a.m. EDT. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

STS-105 Commander Horowitz tries on gas mask at Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A, STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz puts on a gas mask as part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which also include emergency egress, a simulated launch countdown and familiarization with the payload. Mission STS-105 will be transporting the Expedition Three crew, several payloads and scientific experiments to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. The current Expedition Two crew members on the Station will return to Earth on Discovery. Launch is scheduled no earlier than Aug. 9, 2001.

KSC00pp1623

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-31

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour appears dwarfed by the structures inside the Vehicle Assembly Building as it begins rollout to Launch Pad 39B. The Shuttle rests on top of the Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP). Underneath (bottom of photo) is the crawler-transporter that will move the Shuttle and MLP to the pad on four double-tracked crawlers. The maximum speed of the loaded transporter is 1 mph. Endeavour is scheduled to be launched Nov. 30 at 10:01 p.m. EST on mission STS-97, the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections

KSC-07pd2678

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- From the payload changeout room on Launch Pad 39A, the payloads for mission STS-120 have been transferred into space shuttle Discovery's payload bay. Seen at the lower end is the Italian-built U.S. Node 2 module, named Harmony. At the top is the orbital docking system. The red ring at top comprises rain gutters to prevent leaks into the bay from rain while the shuttle is on the pad. Mission STS-120 will bring the Harmony module that will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules to the International Space Station. Launch of Discovery is targeted for Oct. 23. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-2010-5639

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) is removed from space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2010-5645

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers examine the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP). A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2010-5644

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers examine the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP). A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2010-5638

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers remove the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) from space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

The new fertilizer-producing facility near Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

A recently installed fertilizer-producing system sits near Launch Pad 39A (upper left background). Using a 'scrubber,' the system captures nitrogen tetroxide vapor that develops as a by-product when it is transferred from ground storage tanks into the Shuttle storage tanks. Nitrogen tetroxide is used as the oxidizer for the hypergolic propellant in the Shuttle's on-orbit reaction control system. The scrubber then uses hydrogen peroxide to produce nitric acid, which, after adding potassium hydroxide, converts to potassium nitrate, a commercial fertilizer. The black tanker at left is collecting the potassium nitrate, which will be used on the orange groves that KSC leases to outside companies.

Launch of space shuttle Challenger on the 41-C mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1984-04-06

41C-3029 (6 April 1984) --- The space shuttle Challenger and its five-member astronaut crew leave the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center to begin a six-day stay in space. Astronaut John W. Young, a veteran of two shuttle missions and six spaceflights overall, recorded the image with a handheld 70mm camera from the shuttle training aircraft which he was using to monitor environmental conditions around Florida. This is the eighth mission on which Young photographed one of NASA's orbiter vehicles beginning its orbital stay. Photo credit: NASA

Astronauts Bob Behnken and Eric Boe walk the Crew Access Arm at

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-30

Astronauts Bob Behnken, left, and Eric Boe walk down the Crew Access Arm being built by SpaceX for Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The access arm will be installed on the launch pad, providing a bridge between the launch tower it’s the Fixed Service Structure, as noted below, and SpaceX’s Dragon 2 spacecraft for astronauts flying to the International Space Station on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The access arm is being readied for installation in early 2018. It will be installed 70 feet higher than the former space shuttle access arm on the launch pad’s Fixed Service Structure. SpaceX continues to modify the historic launch site from its former space shuttle days, removing more than 500,000 pounds of steel from the pad structure, including the Rotating Service Structure that was once used for accessing the payload bay of the shuttle. SpaceX also is using the modernized site to launch commercial payloads, as well as cargo resupply missions to and from the International Space Station for NASA. The first SpaceX launch from the historic Apollo and space shuttle site was this past February. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is working with private companies, Boeing and SpaceX, with a goal of once again flying people to and from the International Space Station, launching from the United States.

Electrochemical Investigation of Corrosion in the Space Shuttle Launch Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, L. M.

2004-01-01

Corrosion studies began at NASA/Kennedy Space Center in 1966 during the Gemini/Apollo Programs with the evaluation of long-term protective coatings for the atmospheric protection of carbon steel. An outdoor exposure facility on the beach near the launch pad was established for this purpose at that time. The site has provided over 35 years of technical information on the evaluation of the long-term corrosion performance of many materials and coatings as well as on maintenance procedures. Results from these evaluations have helped NASA find new materials and processes that increase the safety and reliability of our flight hardware, launch structures, and ground support equipment. The launch environment at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is extremely corrosive due to the combination of ocean salt spray, heat, humidity, and sunlight. With the introduction of the Space Shuttle in 1981, the already highly corrosive conditions at the launch pad were rendered even more severe by the acidic exhaust from the solid rocket boosters. It has been estimated that 70 tons of hydrochloric acid (HC1) are produced during a launch. The Corrosion Laboratory at NASA/KSC was established in 1985 to conduct electrochemical studies of corrosion on materials and coatings under conditions similar to those encountered at the launch pads. I will present highlights of some of these investigations.

STS-93 / Columbia Flight Crew Photo Op & QA at Pad for TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The primary objective of the STS-93 mission was to deploy the Advanced X-ray Astrophysical Facility, which had been renamed the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the late Indian-American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The mission was launched at 12:31 on July 23, 1999 onboard the space shuttle Columbia. The mission was led by Commander Eileen Collins. The crew was Pilot Jeff Ashby and Mission Specialists Cady Coleman, Steve Hawley and Michel Tognini from the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). This videotape shows a pre-flight press conference. Prior to the astronauts' arrival at the bunker area in front of the launch pad, the narrator discusses some of the training that the astronauts are scheduled to have prior to the launch, particularly the emergency egress procedures. Commander Collins introduces the crew and fields questions from the assembled press. Many questions are asked about the experiences of Commander Collins, and Mission Specialist Coleman as women in NASA. The press conference takes place outside in front of the Shuttle Columbia on the launch pad.

KSC-2010-5868

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-12-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Launch Complex 39 is seen across brackish water as the sun rises at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On the left is Launch Pad 39B, which is being restructured for future use. On the right is Launch Pad 39A, where space shuttle Discovery is being prepared for a tanking test. Kennedy coexists with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, habitat to more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fish and 65 amphibians and reptiles. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

STS-132/ULF4 WFCR Flight Controllers on Console

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-14

JSC2010-E-080432 (14 May 2010) --- Astronaut Charles Hobaugh, spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) for the STS-132 mission, is pictured in the space shuttle flight control room in the Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Atlantis? STS-132 launch. Liftoff was on time at 2:20 p.m. (EDT) on May 14, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-132/ULF4 WFCR Flight Controllers on Console

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-14

JSC2010-E-080463 (14 May 2010) --- Brent Jett, director, flight crew operations, is pictured in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Atlantis' scheduled STS-132 launch. Liftoff was on time at 2:20 p.m. (EDT) on May 14, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-132/ULF4 WFCR Flight Controllers on Console

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-14

JSC2010-E-080441 (14 May 2010) --- Flight director Richard Jones is pictured at his console in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Atlantis? STS-132 launch. Liftoff was on time at 2:20 p.m. (EDT) on May 14, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-132/ULF4 WFCR Flight Controllers on Console

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-14

JSC2010-E-080454 (14 May 2010) --- Flight director Tony Ceccacci is pictured at his console in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Atlantis? STS-132 launch. Liftoff was on time at 2:20 p.m. (EDT) on May 14, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

KSC-08pd0076

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-01-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The white foam insulation freshly reapplied to space shuttle Atlantis's external tank completes the work to remove and replace the feed-through connector on the engine cut-off, or ECO, sensor connector. The repair work was done on Atlantis while the shuttle has been on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The foam was removed to enable engineers to remove and replace the ECO sensor connector on the tank. The feed-through connector passes the wires from the inside of the tank to the outside. Results of a tanking test on Dec. 18 pointed to an open circuit in the feed-through connector wiring, which is located at the base of the tank. The pins in the replacement connector were precisely soldered to create a connection that allows sensors inside the tank to send signals to the computers onboard Atlantis. The repair work was done on Atlantis while the shuttle has been on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The launch date for the shuttle's STS-122 mission has now been targeted for Feb. 7. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Husten

KSC-08pd0075

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-01-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The white foam insulation freshly reapplied to space shuttle Atlantis's external tank completes the work to remove and replace the feed-through connector on the engine cut-off, or ECO, sensor connector. The repair work was done on Atlantis while the shuttle has been on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The foam was removed to enable engineers to remove and replace the ECO sensor connector on the tank. The feed-through connector passes the wires from the inside of the tank to the outside. Results of a tanking test on Dec. 18 pointed to an open circuit in the feed-through connector wiring, which is located at the base of the tank. The pins in the replacement connector were precisely soldered to create a connection that allows sensors inside the tank to send signals to the computers onboard Atlantis. The repair work was done on Atlantis while the shuttle has been on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The launch date for the shuttle's STS-122 mission has now been targeted for Feb. 7. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Husten

KSC-2011-4823

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's silver Astrovan is parked below Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after delivering space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 crew members to the pad to participate in a launch countdown simulation exercise. The Astrovan will return the astronauts to the Operations and Checkout Building at the end of their training. As part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), the crew members are strapped into their seats on Atlantis to practice the steps that will be taken on launch day. Shuttle Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-4822

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's silver Astrovan is parked below Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after delivering space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 crew members to the pad to participate in a launch countdown simulation exercise. The Astrovan will return the astronauts to the Operations and Checkout Building at the end of their training. As part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), the crew members are strapped into their seats on Atlantis to practice the steps that will be taken on launch day. Shuttle Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-4821

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The massive crawler-transporter that carried space shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida sits serenely on the crawlerway once its transport duties were completed. Meanwhile, Atlantis' crew members are at the pad to participate in a launch countdown simulation exercise. As part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), the crew members are strapped into their seats on Atlantis to practice the steps that will be taken on launch day. Shuttle Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-02-03

STS063-S-007 (3 Feb 1995) --- The race to catch up with the Russia's Mir gets underway as the Space Shuttle Discovery launches from Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 12:22:04 (EST), February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four Space Shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches. Onboard for the 67th (STS-63 is out of sequence) Shuttle flight are astronauts James D. Wetherbee, mission commander; Eileen M. Collins, pilot; Bernard A. Harris Jr., payload commander; mission specialists Janice Voss and C. Michael Foale; along with Russian cosmonaut Vladimir G. Titov.

On the hazard of hydrogen explosions at space shuttle launch pads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, John M.

1988-01-01

This report was prepared in support of efforts to assess the hazard of accidental explosions of unburned hydrogen at space shuttle launch pads. It begins with presentation of fundamental detonation theory and a review of relevent experiments. A scenario for a catastrophic explosion at a KSC launch pad and a list of necessary conditions contributing to it is proposed with a view to identifying those conditions which, if blocked, would prevent a catastrophe. The balance of the report is devoted to juxtaposition of reassuring and disquieting facts, presentation of a set of recommendations that ignition of hydrogen-air mixtures by weak ignition sources in unconfined geometries may produce a detonation, provided the effective flame area in the initial fireball is rapidly increased by turbulent mixing. Another conclusion is that detonability limits can be different from and narrower than flammability limits only if one restricts the rate of work that can be done on a flammable gas by mechanical agencies acting on its boundaries.

STS-87 crew walkout for TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The crew of the STS-87 mission, scheduled for launch Nov. 19 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia from pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), participated in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) at KSC. Simulating the walk-out from the Operations and Checkout Building before entering a van to take them to the launch pad are (left to right) Payload Specialist Leonid Kadenyuk of the National Space Agency of Ukraine; Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D.; Pilot Steve Lindsey; Mission Specialist Winston Scott; Takao Doi, Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan; and Commander Kevin Kregel. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight providing the crew of each mission opportunities to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay.

KSC-2009-5913

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure has been rolled back from the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket, sitting atop its mobile launcher platform, during preparations for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5915

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Sunrise at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida reveals the rotating service structure and the arms of the vehicle stabilization system have been retracted from around the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5914

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket after the rotating service structure, has been retracted from around it for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5917

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Daybreak at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida reveals the rotating service structure rolled back from around the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2010-5611

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a worker begins to remove the ground umbilical carrier plate's (GUCP) 7-inch quick disconnect. A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5570

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to begin removing the quick disconnect from the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5608

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to remove the ground umbilical carrier plate's (GUCP) 7-inch quick disconnect. A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5566

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to begin removing the quick disconnect from the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5565

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to begin removing the quick disconnect from the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5609

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a worker prepares to remove the ground umbilical carrier plate's (GUCP) 7-inch quick disconnect. A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5634

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers examine one of the ground umbilical carrier plate's (GUCP) quick disconnects. A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2010-5567

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to begin removing the quick disconnect from the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5610

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers begin to remove the ground umbilical carrier plate's (GUCP) 7-inch quick disconnect. A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5631

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers remove one of the ground umbilical carrier plate's (GUCP) quick disconnects. A hydrogen gas leak at that location on the external fuel tank during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the excess hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2010-5621

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During the removal of external fuel tank foam insulation on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians identified two cracks, each about 9 inches long, on a section of the tank’s metal exterior. The foam cracked during initial loading operations for space shuttle Discovery’s launch attempt on Nov. 5. The cracks are on one of the stringers, which are the composite aluminum ribs located vertically on the tank’s intertank area. Engineers will review images of the cracks to determine the best possible repair method, which would be done at the pad. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2010-5569

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to begin removing the quick disconnect from the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5614

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the ground umbilical carrier plate's (GUCP) 7-inch quick disconnect has been removed from the external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2010-5568

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-09

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to begin removing the quick disconnect from the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) on space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. A hydrogen gas leak at that location during tanking for the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station caused the launch attempt to be scrubbed Nov. 5. The GUCP will be examined to determine the cause of the hydrogen leak and then repaired. The GUCP is the overboard vent to the pad and the flame stack where the vented hydrogen is burned off. Discovery's next launch attempt is targeted for no earlier than Nov. 30 at 4:02 a.m. EST. For more information on STS-133, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-98pc1179

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-28

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At left, the payload canister for Space Shuttle Discovery is lifted from its canister movement vehicle to the top of the Rotating Service Structure on Launch Pad 39-B. Discovery (right), sitting atop the Mobile Launch Platform and next to the Fixed Service Structure (FSS), is scheduled for launch on Oct. 29, 1998, for the STS-95 mission. That mission includes the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. At the top of the FSS can be seen the 80-foot lightning mast . The 4-foot-high lightning rod on top helps prevent lightning current from passing directly through the Space Shuttle and the structures on the pad

Space Shuttle Project

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-04-08

The second try works like a charm as the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-56) lifts off from Launch Pad 39B. The first attempt to launch was halted at T-11 seconds on April 6th. Aboard for the second shuttle mission of 1993 were a crew of five and the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science 2 (ATLAS 2), the second in a series of missions to study the sun's energy output and Earth's middle atmosphere chemical make-up, and how these factors affect levels of ozone.

KSC-04pd1044

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-05-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-114 crew members tour the Rubber Room at Launch Pad 39A. From left to right are Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas; Steve Leonhard, chief, Pad A Operations, with United Space Alliance (USA); Mission Commander Eileen Collins; Mission Specialists Soichi Noguchi, who represents the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency, and Charles Camarda; Pilot James Kelly; and David Sutherland, manager, Pad A Operations, USA. Located under the launch pad, the steel dome Rubber Room floats on rubber isolators. It was the escape area used during the Apollo launches and it could not be removed when the pad was modified for the Shuttle. In case of an emergency on the pad, the astronauts would slide down a long vertical tube (left) to the Rubber Room and wait for the danger to clear. The STS-114 mission is Logistics Flight 1, which is scheduled to deliver supplies and equipment plus the external stowage platform to the International Space Station.

KSC-04PD-1044

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-114 crew members tour the Rubber Room at Launch Pad 39A. From left to right are Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas; Steve Leonhard, chief, Pad A Operations, with United Space Alliance (USA); Mission Commander Eileen Collins; Mission Specialists Soichi Noguchi, who represents the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency, and Charles Camarda; Pilot James Kelly; and David Sutherland, manager, Pad A Operations, USA. Located under the launch pad, the steel dome Rubber Room floats on rubber isolators. It was the escape area used during the Apollo launches and it could not be removed when the pad was modified for the Shuttle. In case of an emergency on the pad, the astronauts would slide down a long vertical tube (left) to the Rubber Room and wait for the danger to clear. The STS-114 mission is Logistics Flight 1, which is scheduled to deliver supplies and equipment plus the external stowage platform to the International Space Station.

STS-94 Mission Highlights Resource Tape

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The flight crew of STS-94, Cmdr. James D. Halsell, Jr., Pilot Susan L. Still, Payload Cmdr. Janice E. Voss, Mission Specialists Micheal L. Gernhardt and Donald A. Thomas, and Payload Specialists Gregory T. Linteris and Roger K. Crouch can be seen preforming pre-launch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew can be seen being readied in the white room' for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters. The crew is seen continuing the payload activation process, as the research efforts of the Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL) mission get into full swing. The crew is seen in the Microgravity Science Laboratory aboard Space Shuttle Columbia activating the final experiment facility and beginning additional experiments, among the more than 30 investigations to be conducted during the 16-day mission. The tape concludes with the re-entery and landing of the Shuttle.

KSC-06pd2077

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Steven MacLean dons his launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. MacLean is with the Canadian Space Agency. MacLean is making his second shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd2082

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is helped with her launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Stefanyshyn-Piper is making her first shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC01PD1783

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-12-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Eagerly stepping out from the Operations and Checkout Building are the STS-108 crew, leading the way, and the Expedition 4 crew as they head for Launch Pad 39B and Space Shuttle Endeavour. From front to back are, left to right, Pilot Mark E. Kelly and Commander Dominic L. Gorie; Mission Specialists Daniel M. Tani and Linda A. Godwin; Expedition 4 members Daniel W. Bursch, Commander Yuri Onufrienko and Carl E. Walz. This is the second launch attempt after the first attempt Dec. 4 was scrubbed due to poor weather conditions at KSC. The main goals of the mission are to carry the Expedition 4 crew to the International Space Station as replacement for Expedition 3; carry the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello filled with water, equipment and supplies; and install thermal blankets over equipment at the base of the ISS solar wings. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001 and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. Launch is scheduled for 5:19 p.m. EST (22:19 GMT) Dec. 5, 2001, from Launch Pad 39B

STS-110 Atlantis rolls out to Launch Pad 39-A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the foreground, white herons at the canal's edge pay scant attention the immense Space Shuttle towering above them. The Shuttle is inching its way to the top of the launch pad. In the background are seen the Rotating Service Structure (open) and the Fixed Service Structure, which holds the 80-foot lightning mast on top. The Shuttle sits on top of the Mobile Launcher Platform, which rests on the crawler-transporter. Atlantis is scheduled for launch April 4 on mission STS-110, which will install the S0 truss, the framework that eventually will hold the power and cooling systems needed for future international research laboratories on the International Space Station. The Canadarm2 robotic arm will be used exclusively to hoist the 13-ton truss from the payload bay to the Station. The S0 truss will be the first major U.S. component launched to the Station since the addition of the Quest airlock in July 2001. The four spacewalks planned for the construction will all originate from the airlock. The mission will be Atlantis' 25th trip to space.

KSC-2011-2554

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-03-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 crew members pose for a group photo in front of an M113 armored personnel carrier at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. From left, are Mission Specialists Greg Chamitoff, European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori and Andrew Feustel, Pilot Greg H. Johnson, Mission Specialist Michael Fincke, and Commander Mark Kelly. Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT, they will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the space station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Aerial view of STS-33 Discovery, OV-103, lifting off from KSC LC Pad 39B

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-11-22

STS033-S-001 (22 Nov 1989) --- Lighting up the entire launch complex, the Space Shuttle Discovery heads toward an earth-orbital mission, devoted to the Department of Defense. Launch occurred at 7:23:29.989 p.m. (EST), November 22, 1989. The photograph was taken by Astronaut Michael L. Coats in the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA).

KSC-02pd1880

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Columbia is poised to begin rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A. The STS-107 research mission comprises experiments ranging from material sciences to life sciences (many rats), plus the Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR) that incorporates eight high priority secondary attached shuttle experiments. Mission STS-107 is scheduled to launch Jan. 16, 2003.

KSC00padig072

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-02

Center Director Roy Bridges addresses the audience at the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center that will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch’s worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad. Others at the ceremony were Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS

KSC-00padig072

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-02

Center Director Roy Bridges addresses the audience at the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center that will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch’s worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad. Others at the ceremony were Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS

KSC-00padig073

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-02

Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS) presents an award of appreciation to H.T. Everett, KSC Propellants manager, at the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch’s worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad. Others at the ceremony were Center Director Roy Bridges;); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS

KSC-00padig071

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-02

At the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center, Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO , presents a plaque to Center Director Roy Bridges. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Others at the ceremony were Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch’s worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad

KSC-00padig070

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-02

Jerry Jorgensen welcomes the audience to the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center. Jorgensen, with Space Gateway Support (SGS), is the pipeline project manager. To the right is Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO. Others at the ceremony were Center Director Roy Bridges; Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch’s worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad

KSC00padig071

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-02

At the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center, Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO , presents a plaque to Center Director Roy Bridges. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Others at the ceremony were Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch’s worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad

KSC00padig073

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-11-02

Jerry Jorgensen, pipeline project manager, Space Gateway Support (SGS) presents an award of appreciation to H.T. Everett, KSC Propellants manager, at the commissioning of a new high-pressure helium pipeline at Kennedy Space Center. The pipeline will service launch needs at the new Delta IV Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The nine-mile-long buried pipeline will also serve as a backup helium resource for Shuttle launches. Nearly one launch’s worth of helium will be available in the pipeline to support a Shuttle pad in an emergency. The line originates at the Helium Facility on KSC and terminates in a meter station at the perimeter of the Delta IV launch pad. Others at the ceremony were Center Director Roy Bridges;); Col. Samuel Dick, representative of the 45th Space Wing; Ramon Lugo, acting executive director, JPMO; David Herst, director, Delta IV Launch Sites; Pierre Dufour, president and CEO, Air Liquide America Corporation; and Michael Butchko, president, SGS

STS-103 Discovery reaches to Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Space Shuttle Discovery arrives at Launch Pad 39B where the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the STS-103 launch. The mission is a 'call-up' due to the need to replace and repair portions of the Hubble Space Telescope. Although Hubble is operating normally and conducting its scientific observations, only three of its six gyroscopes are working properly. Four EVA's are planned to make the necessary repairs and replacements on the telescope. The STS-103 crew members are Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Scott J. Kelly, Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), and Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and Jean-Frangois Clervoy of France, both with the European Space Agency. The mission is targeted for launch Dec. 6 at 2:37 a.m. EST aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.

KSC-07pd0349

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister on its transporter sits beneath the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39A. The canister contains the S3/S4 integrated truss for mission STS-117 to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. Once inside the PCR, the S3/S4 arrays will be transferred into Space Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay after the vehicle has rolled out to the pad. The changeout room is the enclosed, environmentally controlled portion of the RSS that supports cargo delivery to the pad and subsequent vertical installation into the orbiter payload bay. The Atlantis crew will install the new truss segment, retract a set of solar arrays and unfold a new set on the starboard side of the station. Launch is targeted for March 15. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0348

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister on its transporter arrives on Launch Pad 39A, stopping beneath the payload changeout room on the rotating service structure (RSS). The canister contains the S3/S4 integrated truss for mission STS-117 to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. Once inside the PCR, the S3/S4 arrays will be transferred into Space Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay after the vehicle has rolled out to the pad. The changeout room is the enclosed, environmentally controlled portion of the RSS that supports cargo delivery to the pad and subsequent vertical installation into the orbiter payload bay.The Atlantis crew will install the new truss segment, retract a set of solar arrays and unfold a new set on the starboard side of the station. Launch is targeted for March 15. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Corrosion Protection of Launch Infrastructure and Hardware Through the Space Shuttle Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, L. M.

2011-01-01

Corrosion, the environmentally induced degradation of materials, has been a challenging and costly problem that has affected NASA's launch operations since the inception of the Space Program. Corrosion studies began at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 1966 during the Gemini/Apollo Programs with the evaluation of long-term protective coatings for the atmospheric protection of carbon steel. NASA's KSC Beachside Corrosion Test Site, which has been documented by the American Society of Materials (ASM) as one of the most corrosive, naturally occurring environments in the world, was established at that time. With the introduction of the Space Shuttle in 1981, the already highly corrosive natural conditions at the launch pad were rendered even more severe by the acidic exhaust from the solid rocket boosters. In the years that followed, numerous efforts at KSC identified materials, coatings, and maintenance procedures for launch hardware and equipment exposed to the highly corrosiye environment at the launch pads. Knowledge on materials degradation, obtained by facing the highly corrosive conditions of the Space Shuttle launch environment, as well as limitations imposed by the environmental impact of corrosion control, have led researchers at NASA's Corrosion Technology Laboratory to establish a new technology development capability in the area of corrosion prevention, detection, and mitigation at KSC that is included as one of the "highest priority" technologies identified by NASA's integrated technology roadmap. A historical perspective highlighting the challenges encountered in protecting launch infrastructure and hardware from corrosion during the life of the Space Shuttle program and the new technological advances that have resulted from facing the unique and highly corrosive conditions of the Space Shuttle launch environment will be presented.

KSC-07pd3240

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload canister is positioned under the payload changeout room, on the rotating service structure. The canister contains the Columbus Lab module and integrated cargo carrier-lite payloads for space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122. They will be transferred into the payload changeout room on the pad. Atlantis is targeted to launch on Dec. 6. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-07pd3241

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload canister is lifted off its transporter toward the payload changeout room. The canister contains the Columbus Lab module and integrated cargo carrier-lite payloads for space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122. They will be transferred into the payload changeout room on the pad. Atlantis is targeted to launch on Dec. 6. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-07pd3238

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the payload canister atop its transporter rolls, under escort, toward Launch Pad 39A, seen at left.The canister contains the Columbus Lab module and integrated cargo carrier-lite payloads for space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122. They will be transferred into the payload changeout room on the pad. Atlantis is targeted to launch on Dec. 6. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-05PD-0893

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. During a walkdown of Launch Pad 39B, the STS-114 crew pauses for a photograph in the flame trench underneath the pad. The flame trench, built with concrete and refractory brick, bisects the pad at ground level. It is 490 feet long, 58 feet wide and 42 feet deep. The flame deflector system includes an inverted, V-shaped steel structure covered with a high-temperature concrete material five inches thick that extends across the center of the flame trench. One side of the V receives and deflects the flames from the Orbiter main engines; the opposite side deflects the flames from the Solid Rocket Boosters. There are also two movable deflectors at the top of the trench to provide additional protection to Shuttle hardware from the Solid Rocket Booster flames. STS-114 is designated the first Return to Flight mission, with a launch window extending from July 13 to July 31. The crew is at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. It provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. The test ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the launch pad.

KSC-99pp0531

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery, with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at left to repair damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The external tank-solid rocket booster stack for mission STS-93, which was moved out of High Bay 1 to make room for Discovery, can be seen in the background between Discovery and the VAB. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to Pad 39B by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0530

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On a beautiful Florida morning, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery (right, nearly hidden behind its external tank and solid rocket boosters) from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at left to repair damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The external tank-solid rocket booster stack for mission STS-93 was moved out of High Bay 1, which awaits Discovery's arrival with its door open. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to Pad 39B by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0529

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery, hidden by its external tank and solid rocket boosters, from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The external tank/solid rocket booster stack for mission STS-93 was moved out of High Bay 1 to make room for Discovery and can be seen on the horizon between Discovery and the VAB. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to Pad 39B by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

Pre-flight views of orbiter Endeavour on way to launch pad for STS-77

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-05-01

S96-07957 (16 April 1996) --- A road sign points to Launch Pad 39B, the final earthly destination for the Space Shuttle Endeavour and its final stepping stone into space. Endeavour began the slow journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at about 10:00a.m., April 16, 1996, perched atop the Mobile Launcher Platform and carried by the Crawler-Transporter. Upcoming activities at the pad to prepare Endeavour for flight on STS-77 include installation of the payloads in the Orbiter?s payload bay.

KSC-06pd1393

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-07-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Mission Specialist Piers Sellers is happy to be making a third launch attempt on mission STS-121. Here, he fixes one of his gloves during suitup before heading to Launch Pad 39B. The July 2 launch attempt was scrubbed due to the presence of showers and thunderstorms within the surrounding area of the launch site. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-132/ULF4 WFCR Flight Controllers on Console

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-14

JSC2010-E-080410 (14 May 2010) --- Astronauts Steve Frick (standing) and Charles Hobaugh, both spacecraft communicators (CAPCOM) for the STS-132 mission, are pictured in the space shuttle flight control room in the Johnson Space Center's Mission Control Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Atlantis? STS-132 launch. Liftoff was on time at 2:20 p.m. (EDT) on May 14, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-125 Flight Controllers on Console - (Orbit Shift)

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

JSC2009-E-118888 (11 May 2009) --- Flight director Bryan Lunney monitors data at his console in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of Space Shuttle Atlantis? scheduled STS-125 launch to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Liftoff was on time at 2:01 p.m. (EDT) on May 11, 2009 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-125 Flight Controllers on Console - (Orbit Shift)

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

JSC2009-E-118822 (11 May 2009) --- Flight director Norm Knight is pictured in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of Space Shuttle Atlantis? scheduled STS-125 launch to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Liftoff was on time at 2:01 p.m. (EDT) on May 11, 2009 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-125 Flight Controllers on Console - (Orbit Shift)

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

JSC2009-E-118817 (11 May 2009) --- Flight controller Mark McDonald monitors data at his console in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of Space Shuttle Atlantis? scheduled STS-125 launch to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Liftoff was on time at 2:01 p.m. (EDT) on May 11, 2009 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

STS-132/ULF4 WFCR Flight Controllers on Console

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-14

JSC2010-E-080409 (14 May 2010) --- Brent Jett (left), director, flight crew operations; and flight director Norm Knight are pictured in the space shuttle flight control room in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center during launch countdown activities a few hundred miles away in Florida, site of space shuttle Atlantis' scheduled STS-132 launch. Liftoff was on time at 2:20 p.m. (EDT) on May 14, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.